


Broken but not beyond repair?

by femalepenguini



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-11
Updated: 2017-06-15
Packaged: 2018-08-08 02:28:01
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 21,278
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7739908
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/femalepenguini/pseuds/femalepenguini
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hello, my fellow Muggles, here it comes, the missing gap between The Deathly Hallows and The Cursed Child. Ever wondered why the broken Draco and the cursed, Muggle-loving Astoria became one item? Here’s the answer (or at least my answer)! I’ll try to update this story once in a week!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [nasimwrites](https://archiveofourown.org/users/nasimwrites/gifts).



A woman in her early twenties laid on a green velvet couch, the warm flames of the fireplace next to her reflected in her graceful face. Her right foot, barely holding on to a loose sock, hung over the edge. Her worn-out shoes not far away, pulling them off was the brunette’s last action before drifting into a long needed slumber.

 The small but for one person sufficient apartment was filled with many pieces of furniture, which all, separately considered, looked comfy and of high class but put together didn’t seem to fit. Just like the owner herself. She radiated a certain superior charm, yet her tousled hair and rumpled clothes told a different story.   

There was a movement in the smouldering coal, some briquets fell apart or switched their position with a sizzling sound, a face of another woman with high cheekbones and full lips formed itself.

‘Can’t you even manage to go to bed yourself? Or is this disgusting blood traitor still working you to the bone?’ asked her snooty voice with much displeasure.

The woman on the couch turned around, had no interest in the conversation and faced the backrest instead.

‘It’s such a shame! How can you live like that in this terrible joke of an apartment? I bet not even a house-elf would set its feet inside,’ she went on.

‘I’m not having this discussion again, Daphne,’ mumbled the brunette in response and gestured, without any intention to look at the intruder of her dreams, to go away.

‘You should move back into the Mansion! It would be a great help with the upcoming preparations and safer for your health anyhow. Please don’t be so selfish Astoria and get over your Muggle-loving phase,’ said the red gleaming face.

‘Selfish’, snorted Astoria and finally decided to encounter her older sister as she sat up under sighs.

‘Don’t make me laugh. Since when do you care anyway? Did they put you up to this? Being caged in this old murky Mansion inhabited by people with even older and outdated beliefs, still clinging on to their ever so terrific friends, who call themselves the last true members of the Sacred Twenty-Eight and pure-bloods by choice? Thank you, but no thank you, I don’t want to be part of any of this,’ barked Astoria and gazed at Daphne with her clear, momentarily ice cold blue eyes.  

‘Well, I promised Father and Mother to try and by Merlin’s beard I tried. But you still have to attend the next gathering, where Blaise will announce my engagement with him. You as the second daughter of the Greengrass household and my bridesmaid have to be there. And in a proper attire, not your foolish Muggle clothes! It’s an order, said Father.’

‘Tell them I’ll come. But if they try to marry me off too, it will be the last time they ever see me.’

‘They wouldn’t. Not in your condition….’

Daphne paused, trying not to touch this particular topic. ‘See you in 3 weeks, Tori. However, I warn you, please don’t bring any disgrace to us on this big occasion.’

The coal sizzled anew and Daphne’s face vanished, leaving Astoria with a bitter aftertaste.

Never had she liked her family’s private parties, hosted only for pure blooded Slytherins.

Post war the quantity of them had significantly decreased. Not all pure-blooded families were clever enough to avoid openly choosing one side and slipped through the lines as smooth as they did. _Don’t antagonize anyone,_ could be her family slogan. But 5 years later most of the minor convicted were already released from Azkaban, reverted to their previous lives and previous friends. It was only natural that the former glory of these social events would flare up again.

Astoria closed her eyes and waited for sleep to find her. After a few rotations on the not as comfortable as first thought couch and with a stiff neck she accepted that it wouldn’t come soon.

Maybe it was stupid to do even more work when today’s share, especially the attempt of fully understanding the sheer endless web of London’s underground tunnels with its steamless trains, or how the Muggles called it, the tube and the thousands of people invading the wagons and stations, had exhausted her greatly. But Astoria was determined to use every given second of her life, lying there and doing nothing except for listening to the damp noises from a bar only a few houses away wasn’t productive and wasted time. A luxury Astoria of all people didn’t have. So she straightened out her blouse, added an additional layer of makeup, put her shoes back on and left her flat at Pollock Street 4 in Southwark.       

It was past eleven o’clock on a Friday night, perfect condition to do some research on Muggle behaviour. Like she had witnessed often, she successfully hailed a cab and asked the driver with Indian origins to bring her where the party was happening tonight. He let her out on Brixton Road in front of a dance club called Phonox.

Phonox sounded in her ears very much like Phoenix, a rebirth would be a nice experience for once so she blazed the trail through the smoking Muggles, who were casually roaming in front of the entrance. The bulky bouncer didn’t ask for any kind of identification, therefore the ID card from the Ministry of Magic made especially for her at the Muggle Ministry, stayed in her black handbag together with her wand. It was quite the struggle to take a non-moving picture of her with a Muggle camera. It was stressful to comb her hair out of her face and look rather neutral at the same time and the frozen duplication of herself made her sad. She didn’t like the result at all but was told from a muggle-born colleague that nearly no one does. It’s ridiculous, how should you capture the full being of a person with one never changing portrait?

As she walked further into the club the music got louder and the space was more crowded as she had expected it to be. Some sort of green laser light was thrown at the dancing spectators, the air filled with cold yet sweet-smelling fog, which a little box under a guy who stood on a pedestal and fumbled with buttons and switches on a board, seemed to emit. She wasn’t sure what this guy’s function was and why he constantly put something which looked like ear muffs onto his head but then positioned them back around his neck. In addition to it the Muggles that surrounded her didn’t seem to have any structure in their dance, hands and feet were swirled around but did seldom match their opposites actions.

There also seemed to be different areas. In the middle of the room, where she was and tried to move her hips and feet rhythmically to the music on the same square meter, the people, to be fair mostly females, danced. Behind her, near the entrance were cosy sofas, mostly occupied by couples or those who could become a couple and literally screamed at each other’s ears to have any kind of conversation. And of course there was a bar, not much unlike the one at The Three Broomsticks, where you could get a drink - but they didn’t seem to have butterbeer on the menu. The Muggles seated in front of it were mostly males, who had their eyes on the area where the females were dancing. Some of them gazed into the crowd like an owl, which had seen a mouse. One of them stared directly into her eyes, but she quickly lowered her view to avoid any further eye contact. At last, the Knut dropped. The people in here were all under thirty, consuming alcoholic beverages and ogling their gender counterpart. This location is a place where Muggles come to go catting.

With the newly won knowledge, Astoria ordered the drink of the day, something with mint and lime and settled on one of the few free couches to observe the setting more. A few seats away a couple was snogging, they were so into it, that she couldn’t even see their faces and thought these two should better get a room instead of distracting her from her research. All the more it surprised her as another man came up to them, visibly in rage and shocked the prior snogging woman with his appearance. Her apologetic gestures didn’t hold the intruder off from punching her snogging partner in the face, taking her with him and leaving the other man with a broken nose on the cosy. She wondered if Muggles always handled their indifferences like that, but what really disturbed her was the smirk on the blood-smeared face of the pale white-blond man, who was left behind. He didn’t look like he was smitten by remorse, on the contrary, his cold grey eyes told Astoria that he had expected this outcome or in fact striven for it.

Muggles could be so complicated, why would anyone do such a thing, willingly putting himself in a bad situation and get hit in the face. Curiously she monitored him closer, as he put something she couldn’t see due to the insufficient light and the allwhere present fog, on the back of his hand and led it to his bleeding nose, she thought he tried to stop the bleeding. But the bleeding didn’t stop. Aghast she stared at him as one of the laser beams flashed his smooth face.

‘Son of a Banshee,’ Astoria whispered. He was no bloody Muggle, and on top of that, she knew him. Before she could think about it, she had her wand in her hand and marched over to him.

Only as he saw her wand the smug smile vanished from his lips.

‘Has the Ministry nothing better to do than to watch every step I take?’ he barked but Astoria could catch a glimpse of the fear, which laid underneath his now emotionless mien.

‘You! And me! Outside! NOW!’, she snarled. Of all people, Draco Malfoy was the least likely one she thought she would find in a Muggle bar, or whatever they called this establishment, and as the cherry on the top, snugging a Muggle girl. Was she? Well, the interrogation would have to wait until she found a quieter place outside.  


	2. Slytherins stick together!

In a dimly illuminated back alley, Astoria released her borderline painful grip from Malfoy's slender wrist but stayed close. ‘Muffliato,’ she murmured whilst waving her wand. They hadn't spoken a word since they left Phonox and Draco masterfully avoided looking her directly in the eyes. However, he was keeping his front up, trying to maintain his countenance. Bad for him that Astoria noticed his stressed heartbeat as her hand had so forcefully dragged him along. Instantly she backed away as she was sure no one would intervene their conversation. Why did she meddle with him in the first place ? She had never been someone who would bow her head to anyone or look the other way just because it would be more convenient. And Draco Malfoy in a Muggle establishment shortly after his enforced house arrest had ended, was more than slightly suspicious. Astoria pondered what she should ask, or better how she should start without becoming too aggressive. It was one of her biggest flaws, her temper and sometimes harsh endeavour had offended enough people over the years. But this was a delicate matter, Malfoy was a free man, he was allowed to spend his time however he wanted. Nevertheless, it seemed out of character, the character Astoria had witnessed at Hogwarts and the character, which had formed in Astoria’s mind thanks to Daphne's never ending stories about him. 

‘I haven't done anything wrong,‘ hissed Draco after waiting long enough for his taste that this unnecessary interrogation would begin. 

‘You have done many things wrong in your despicable life!’ barked Astoria back. 

‘I didn't know I was on trial, again! My five years house arrest are over and the Ministry still refuses to give me my wand back for another five years. I can't see any fault in spending my time however I want to! The Ministry has absolutely no right to follow me around the clock!’ he folded his arms demonstratively. 

‘Sure. It's not like I was specifically ordered to follow you …’ Before Astoria could finish the sentence Draco snorted bossily and made amends to leave the back alley together with this unnerving situation. But the brunette reacted briskly, blocked his way and put her wand under his chin. Her fast motion caused him to stumble backwards, rescued by the cold brick-stone wall. His pupils dilated, he breathed quickly, Astoria didn't think she would have had it in her to make the ‘great’ Draco sweat, but here they were, starting at each other. 

‘Don't stare at me like I'm a bloody hippogriff! Episkey!’ she tapped her hazel wand on his nose, with a bone crushing sound it snapped back into its original form, he flinched a little. 

‘Not as pain-free as Madam Pomfrey does it, but it'll do.’

Draco's face was even paler than before, the color of his white-blond hair, which shined in the darkness reminded her of the moon, the hardened blood a gaudy contrast to his ivory skin. But with his sunken eyes and the gray undertone he seemed sickly. Still, she had to admit he was nice to look at. She lowered her wand. 

‘Now tell me what you're doing in the Muggle world. It's my duty as an employee of the Ministry to investigate any bizarre behavior of other wizards I encounter during my research. After all, better to be safe than sorry, right? We, and I mean the whole British Magical Society, this includes you as well, don't need any more bad interactions between purebloods and Muggles,’ she sighed and began anew with a more serious voice ‘Explain yourself! And who was that woman?’

Absent minded he gazed at his hands, brushed something off them, once, twice, three times, the fear and disbelief openly manifested while he repeated his actions. What was he brushing off? Astoria couldn’t see the cause for his anxiety. He hyperventilated.

‘Hey,’ Astoria snapped her fingers ‘Bloody hell, what’s wrong with you?’ but failed to get his attention. To her sheer horror, he suddenly slumped, laid twitching on the asphalt and didn’t respond to her efforts to calm his convulsions down. He must have been poisoned, nothing else came to her mind. But with what? How should she know? She was no healer after all. There was only one logical thing to do.

Worried she kneeled next to him, whispered ’It’s going to be ok,’ more to herself than him, took his hands in her palms and desperately thought of her desired destination. She felt how her arms twisted, reinforced her grip of Draco, swept him along, their skulls squeezed, pressure in their ears, on the verge of vomiting but their stomachs contents were forced back down, all colors and sounds uniting into one big nothingness. With a small faint pop, they appeared at the third floor of St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries. Luckily she was familiar with the Department for Potions and Plant Poisoning.

‘Help! He’s having a seizure! I think he’s poisoned!’

_________________________________________________________________________

With a loud bang, Astoria slammed the door of the head office for the Department of National Muggle Cooperation shut.

‘Ah, you must have gotten my notice.’

‘You’ve got to be kidding me, Arthur! How did I earn this? I’ve devoted myself to the job! Trollshit! I’m no bloody babysitter for that arrogant prick!’

‘There, there. Sit down. Fancy a cup of tea?’ Arthur Weasley smiled calmly, gestured her to the chair in front of his desk. Before she could take a seat, he set the files, which were piling up on it aside and magically filled a teacup. 

‘Wasn’t it only last week that you asked me for an additional hand? You know how short our resources, especially for the new founded Office for the Research and Enlisting of Muggle Behaviour, Rites and Technology is. And as it happened to be I’ve had a long talk with Kingsley last night. It’s a good sign that the young Malfoy, contrary to his upbringing, shows an interest in the mundane world. Although it’s wiser to supervise him. To ensure safety for the Muggles AND, as protection for his own well-being, of course. Otherwise, it’s more than likely last night’s events could repeat themselves,... whoopsies,’ Mr. Weasley knocked with his elbow another pile of files and his own cup of tea from overloaded desk, creating a huge mess. 

‘Scourgify,’ Astoria said unfazed, she was used to Arthur’s chaotic office. It wasn’t really his fault, the Department of National Muggle Cooperation was understaffed ever since she started working there and she wasn’t the only one, who put in overtime to try to deal with the situation. Nevertheless, it was a daily war to avoid drowning in files and commissions. 

‘Thanks. So Kingsley thought that we could test out this new program for purebloods to bring them closer with the Muggle World. Maybe, if they see them as they are, normal human beings like ourselves ... except for the magical powers, of course. But I have to say some of their technology comes close to it! Have you seen those huge steaming machines they use for creating different coffee based beverages? Fascinating! How do they get the pumpkin or mint flavor in it, I wonder …’ 

Astoria raised one eyebrow, her arms folded, her index finger tapping on her upper arm. ‘Where was I?’ Mr. Weasley asked. ‘Testing this new program,’ said Astoria. ‘Ah, yes, so the basic idea is, to familiarize them. Maybe this pureblood, pardon the word, mudblood -nonsense would stop.’

‘And what exactly should this program look like?’

‘Controlled interactions. Basically, Mr. Malfoy helps you out with your tasks and you supervise his behaviour when he’s encountering a Muggle… something like that, it’s a first try out, you are free to form the program however you think it’s needed.’

The brunette visibly sulked. ‘You don’t seem happy about it… In my opinion, it’s two pixies with one stone,’ Arthur smiled apologetically, Astoria’s mien stayed fierce.

‘No, not really, dragging Malfoy around doubles or triples my chore…’

‘I could ask Marcus to help out also, but I doubt he will be as gentle and cautious as you. Slytherins stick together… don’t they? And you’re family is one of the Sacred Twenty-Eight!’

‘And so is yours, if I may remind you. That’s discrimination Arthur and you know it! Yes, I’m a pureblood. Yes, I was in Slytherin and by Merlin, I’m proud I was, but that doesn’t mean I have to get along with anyone who was so too! But…,’ she sighed, ‘I’m prolly a better fit than Belby. I could see them both kill each other if left alone. All the same, what makes you think Malfoy would participate in such a program? Yes, he was intoxicated by a Muggle drug, but, to be fair, he only endangered his own life. You can’t punish him for this nullity. We have no right to intervene with his lifestyle. If he wants to moulder away, for all I care, he’s free to do so.’

‘No, the Ministry isn’t punishing him. Still, I’m quite confident he will participate. Kingsley held out the prospect of returning his wand two years earlier if he successfully attends two months of “Pureblood meets Muggle”. It could be a great example for others.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> if anyone is interested, I'm femalepenguini at tumblr :/ well any feedback at all would be nice


	3. The Opportunity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> an unexpected letter from the Ministry arrives at the Malfoy Mansion

It was after midday as they finally released Draco from his uncomfy bed at the St. Mungo’s hospital.

The whole night two different Healers had squirmed around him and forced different horrible tasting potions down his throat. First, his visions of maggots digging their way out of his skin and later his shortness of breath died away. He had no idea that anything Muggles could produce would have such effects. Bitter, he swore to himself never to touch any muggle drug again. Not that he was worried about his life. Not in the slightest. One of the Healers had stated how it had been a “close call” and that he should thank his saviour.

‘Saviour,’ he rolled the word on his tongue but it didn’t leave his mouth. He wouldn’t call this woman from the Ministry his saviour. What was she even doing there? The muggle world had been his last hideout, as the time came he couldn’t take the foul looks from passing by wizards and witches anymore, when he couldn’t get his father’s delusional speeches out of his ears and when he could feel his mother’s expectant and worried stare on him. He thought it would get better for the sake of the last string of mind, which he had hung onto not to drift into insanity like his father did, when his house-arrest was lifted and he could move freely outside from the Mansion’s grounds. But the burning hateful glances were worse, he wasn’t welcomed anywhere and now, they were even following where nobody should know him, where he hadn’t expected to run against a wall of disdain and where he normally could slip into anonymity.

She should have left him there, he should have died. It would have been easier. He was a steady reminder for the Second Wizard War, who nobody needed. Too many had lost friends or family in it by the hands of a Death Eater. And he wasn’t welcomed in his own rows either. No wonder, after they had ratted them all out. Gladly would he have gone to Azkaban, together with his father, but his mother worried too much about their healths, the confession sputtered out of her like a waterfall.  

As he was steady enough to apparate, they gladly let him go. The afternoon sun outside of the red-bricked, condemned department store was harsh, the pain which jolted through his knees as he landed with a loud crack ungraceful in his mother’s garden harsher. Hurriedly their house-elf Winsy helped him into his room. There he sunk into his own, much comfier bed, not bothered to take his clothes off. The sun was gone as he managed to open his eyes for a short while, catching the sight of a meal the house-elf must have placed on the nightstand for him. But he wasn’t hungry, couldn’t find the will or the appetite and left it untouched. After he thirstily emptied the glass of water next to it, he rolled over and sleep quickly found him again.

Until a stern knock on his door woke him up. Before he could murmur something in response, certainly to shoo the intruder away, the door flew open. Slowly and with pain he sat up at the edge of the bed, elbows on his thighs, his face resting in his palms.

‘Why even bother knocking mother, when you come in anyway,’ he said with a raspy voice, looking with his bloodshot eyes through his long fingers.

‘Draco, you look awful!’ said Narcissa in her clear voice. She, who was like always in contrast to him, to say it with her own words, in proper attire.

‘Thank you mother,’ he barked cynical in return.

‘Have you slept in your clothes? You should take a bath and you could do with a shave!’

Arguing with his mother wouldn’t get him anywhere and he was frankly too tired to do so, therefore, he simply nodded. Silence filled the room, but she didn’t show the slightest indication that she would leave soon, instead she beamed at him. A foreign view, a smile on his mother’s lips, he hadn’t seen her smile for years. She seemed eager to tell him something, but wouldn’t address the topic before he would ask her.

‘What is it, mother? Why did you storm into my chamber?’ He asked to get it over with.

‘A letter from the Ministry came this morning! From the Minister Shacklebolt himself!’

For a short second his heart sunk into his stomach. Would they punish him for the latest events? A letter from the Ministry and on top of that from the Minister himself couldn’t possibly mean something good, but why was his mother in such a terrific mood?

Narcissa sat beside him, swung her arm on his, to her slight terror, broad shoulders. He wasn’t her cute little son she could pamper anymore, even she had to admit it.

‘I have no idea, how you’ve done it, but they chose you to partake in this program “Pureblood meets Muggle”!’

Draco was sure he could catch a short glimpse of his mother’s disgusted face as she spelled the word Muggle out.

‘Well,’ she continued with a settled mien and rubbed his back ‘ the topic isn’t the best, but hear what they promised for mere two months of partaking? They’ll shorten the confiscation time of your wand by two full years! Isn’t it wonderful!’ With glee, she pulled the letter out of her dark green dress and handed it over.

‘Thank you for opening my post, mother,’ he hissed while taking it, but his foul temper wasn’t enough to pollute her jubilant feeling.

‘How wonderful, we still seem to have friends at the Ministry, look,’ she tapped on the name in front of the office, where he had to report to, ’Astoria Greengrass! Surely you remember the Greengrass family, they are part of the Sacred Twenty-Eight!’ trilled Narcissa.

Draco tried to remember who Astoria was. Yes, of course, he knew her older sister Daphne, but other than Astoria being two years younger as them and having brown instead of the for the family usual blond hair, he didn’t remember much. He couldn’t know everyone who was in Slytherin, could he? Maybe he had seen her once or twice or talked to her, but she hadn’t been in his inner circle.

‘This is such a pleasant opportunity my dear!’ she went on ‘This could be the ticket back into society! Of course, your father and I are still under arrest, but think about all the social events you could attend and represent our family! It’s not good for a young man like yourself to keep hiding in the Mansion or to drown your sorrows in those shady establishments! The Malfoys aren’t forgotten, we will rise again!’

Draco sighed. Personally, he would have preferred to be forgotten, but his mother seemed all too happy and getting his wand earlier back than expected wouldn’t be bad either. He really missed his wand, not because it would be more convenient, with Winsy there was no daily need to perform magic himself, but he missed the connection they had and how the ten inches of hawthorn felt in his hand.     

So it came, that he stepped outside of the Mansion on the next Tuesday morning and greeted the grumpy coffee drinking Auror, who was stationed this particular day on the staircase to ensure that Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy would comply with their house arrest, politely with a nod, but was ignored just like always. The cold morning air filled his nostrils as he crammed a little package with exceptional sapphire earrings into his robe. His mother had given them to him after she had learned about the upcoming party for Daphne Greengrass engagement announcement with Blaise Zabini from the Daily Prophet. ‘A little token of gratitude has never failed to strengthen bonds,’ Narcissa had said. “Donating” huge amounts of gold and valuable presents had always opened doors for the Malfoys in the past. This time with a faint pop, much like the sound it made when his mother apparated, he disapparated from the stairs.

Perfectly judged, Draco appeared with another faint plop right next to the visitor’s entrance of the Ministry of Magic, which was disguised as an abandoned red telephone phone booth in a back alley of the squirmy London. He only had been there once before, with his father. It was so long ago, he hadn’t even been at Hogwarts at that time. After a few words with Cornelius Fudge and an altruistic donation they were granted to enter the Ministry of Magic through the floo network, only employees and very important personalities were allowed to do so. Of course, somehow they were very important personalities themselves. Later on, under the reign of Thicknesse, they could apparate directly into the Atrium, which was even more convenient than climbing out of a dusty fireplace. Not by the force of ten Thestrals he would have flushed himself through the toilet into the Atrium. And even for their hearings, they were escorted by Aurors directly into the Ministry by portkey.

Draco snorted as he monitored the heavily graffitied wall beside him. This was the way that commoners had to enter the Ministry. He noticed several missing panes of glass as he closed the door behind him. Like instructed in the letter from the Ministry he grabbed the receiver of the crookedly hanging telephone apparatus, held it close to his head and dialed “62442” (“magic”). A monotone female voice sounded inside the telephone box, surprisingly not from the receiver itself but loud and clear as though she would be standing there with him.

‘Welcome to the Ministry of Magic. Please state your name and business.’

Draco hung the receiver up, straightened his robes with the lingering feeling that someone might be watching him and stated calmly ‘Draco Lucius Malfoy, I have an appointment with Miss Astoria Greengrass at the Office for the Research and Enlisting of Muggle Behaviour, Rites and Technology…’

‘Thank you,’ said the monotone female voice. ‘Visitor, please take the badge and attach it to the front of your robes.’ It clicked and rattled, like promised a badge fell into the shelf were usually the change would land. Draco picked the silver square with Draco Lucius Malfoy, Project P.m.M. up and pinned it on his chest.

‘Visitor to the Ministry, you are required to submit to a search and present your wand for the registration at the security desk, which is located at the far end of the Atrium.’

He thought that it was odd to send him there because the Ministry itself had his wand somewhere in these very halls and how should he present something he didn’t, with their knowing, have the access to. But surely it would be better to do as told, no matter how stupid it was, he wasn’t the one who would leave a bad first impression or arrogate to question how the Ministry handled their maintenance.

Suddenly the floor of the telephone box shuddered and he was sinking at a very slow space underground. The pavement seemed to rise up past the broken glass windows of the telephone box until darkness fell upon him. For a minute or two, it was pitch dark. Together with a dull grinding noise, the blackness made him slightly nervous. Then, a golden light reflected from a highly polished dark wood floor, illuminated his feet and rose up his body. Blinded by the sudden change of dazzling light from utter darkness his eyes hurt.

‘The Ministry of Magic wishes you a pleasant day,’ buzzed the woman’s voice as the door sprang open and Draco stepped out of the telephone booth.

With steady steps and low head, he hurried quickly through the hall, past the lines of other wizards and witches, who emerged or departed from dozens of gilded fireplaces and whom he didn’t dare to look into the eyes. He was all too sure that some of them turned their heads and whispered rather nasty words as he rushed through the crowd.

He didn’t stop to take a look at the new designed fountain in the middle of the hall. He fought his way through the stream of Ministry employees heading for the golden gates. He was very carefully not to bump into someone, he had enough attention already, even without looking he could feel their hateful stares at the back of his head, on his dreadful prominent white blond hair. He had no idea why he needed a badge with his name on it. They already knew who he was, every single one seemed to know and to curse him for it. ‘Fucking Death Eater!’ ‘Why isn’t he in Azkaban?’ ‘What is he doing here?’ At some point, they didn’t bother whispering anymore, they said it with full voice. What would he give for an invisibility cloak.

After this walk of shame, he was glad that no one had thrown anything at him and he was even gladder to reach the Security Desk, manned by an old, badly-shaven wizard in peacock blue robes. With raised eyebrows, he scanned him whilst putting down his Daily Prophet.

‘Er…’ started Draco, but was interrupted by a woman, who came rushing down the hall and gestured the security wizard to wait.

‘It’s ok Eric, he has no wand. A misunderstanding,’ she panted.

‘Well then, go on,’ said the wizard in a bored voice and waved them both away, his long nose sunken back into the newspaper again.


	4. The Compliment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Draco has no idea Astoria is Astoria

The moment Astoria had spotted Draco at the Security Desk, he reminded her much of a Knarl.

A small magical creature, for Muggle eyes indistinguishable with a common hedgehog, but  tantrum throwing in distrust to those, who without any ulterior motives, had dared to offer it food.

Likewise, the pale blond man in front of her looked undecided, torn between the choice of silently fleeing this irksome situation or showing his spikes and attacking anything and anyone, who came too close.

She reached out for a handshake but was ignored by him. Instead, he snorted sneery ‘It’s you again.’ So he had gone for the attack to gloss over his insecurity, noted Astoria.

‘Of course, it’s me! Who else did you expect?’ she said nonetheless irritated and took her hand back to her side.

‘I have an appointment with Miss Greengrass from the Department of National Muggle Cooperation. I thought she would send someone else than a filthy mudblood like you,’ Draco scanned her tousled brown hair and worn out robes with reluctance.

Clearly, the word mudblood the way how he stressed it was meant to insult her. He waited for her face to fall, for any sign of anger. As teenager he had been the master of provocation, a bully everyone feared, putting someone in their place by degrading them was an easy task for him. But on her, it didn’t work. Puzzled she processed what he had snarled at her and weighed what to do next. A baffled giggle left her as she connected the dots and apprehended his misunderstanding. Draco, thanks to his arrogant behaviour, had given her a trump card for her personal amusement. Apparently, he had no idea that she was the very Astoria Greengrass he had an appointment with.

Firmly, but not in the slightest violent she grabbed him by his collar and brought the daunted Draco down to her level. He cringed like he expected to be slapped. When the slap didn’t come he lowered his eyes and strictly avoided hers. This wasn’t easy with Astoria standing right in front of him. A mixture of fear and regret written on his face. It was a mystery for her how anyone could switch back and forth from snooty to docile in mere seconds. She loosened her grip and flattened the creases which it had caused.  

‘Mr. Malfoy, I advise you to stop using this particular word around here. Not that I would mind, though. You see, I’m a pureblood myself, but I know many people, who just wait for any excuse to hex you. AND you surely are familiar with the amount of muggle-borns, who started working at the Ministry since Mr. Shacklebolt was appointed as Minister. They may be truly offended. Personally, I don’t really get the fuss,’ she lowered her voice and started to whisper ‘ people lay too much weight on a single word, which is only a term of description for one’s origins. If they think it’s an affront, they must feel ashamed for having Muggle parents.’

Astoria could have sworn that the constant flow of her soft words was the trigger for Draco’s goosebumps. She spotted them as she realized how close they stood. Instantly she backed away.

‘Anyway,’ she looked at a big golden ornamented clock, which was placed over the gate to a smaller hall beyond the Atrium, where at least twenty lifts behind wrought, likewise golden grilles stood and continued at normal volume ‘ we better should hurry and get you to your appointment. You don’t want to make a bad first impression, right?’

Draco nodded defeated and followed, to Astoria’s annoyance, constantly with one step clearance after her. Being able to carpet him was one thing, but having to work together with someone who acts browbeaten, another. Maybe he would loosen up a little in the privacy of her office without all these hateful glares and rude comments.

Therefore, they didn’t join the grape of busy looking wizards and witches around the first lift. In lieu, they walked further behind and positioned themselves in front of another one. It was the closest to the dark wooden wall. Soon vanished the crowd in the arriving lift and left them waiting for theirs. As it lastly arrived, several paper aeroplanes in different colors with Ministry of Magic stamped along the edge of their wings darted out of it. Nobody got off but not less than eight pairs of eyes curiously stared at them, especially at Draco.

‘We’ll take the next one,’ said Astoria friendly because she felt that the at least one head taller Draco had somehow after a fashion managed to hide behind her petite stature.

She wouldn’t have minded packing herself in the lift with her colleagues like sardines, but wanted to spare him as many confrontations in such a limited space as possible. To their luck, the coming up lift, which descended on their right was, except for the inter-departmental memos completely empty. The golden grille slid back and Astoria and Draco stepped in. Seconds later, an aeroplane merely swooped in the cabin, by ripping a tiny bit of its wings, the grilles shut with a crash. Chains rattling they slowly ascended, while the same monotone female voice as from the visitor entrance rang out.

‘Level seven, Department of Magical Games and Sports, incorporating the British and Irish Quidditch League Headquarters, Official Gobstones Club, and Ludicrous Patents Office.’

A broad-shouldered wizard in full Quidditch Costume with a wooden bat entered from an untidy-looking corridor where not one but a few snitches zoomed around. With their constant zig-zag routes, they were hard to spot even for trained eyes.

‘Going down?’ asked the Falmouth Falcons Beater with a falcon emblem on his dark grey and white robes. He growled indignantly as Astoria shook her head. Draco resorted into the corner and stared at his feet. The doors closed, the lift juddered upwards again.

‘Level Six, Department of Magical Transportation, incorporating the Floo Network Authority, Broom Regulatory Control, Portkey Office and Apparition Test Centre.’

Some aeroplanes with a pale violet color got in, some white colored, including the one with the ripped wings, got out. The remaining flapped around the lift’s ceiling lamp like moths. The doors closed.

‘Level Five, Department of International Magical Cooperation, incorporating the International Magical Trading Standards Body, the International Magical Office of Law and the International Confederation of Wizards, British Seats.’

Two serious looking witches in blue silken Beauxbaton ropes, who spoke French and were so entangled in their conversation that they didn’t spare them a look, got in while even more memos joined the others on the ceiling of the lift.  

‘Level Four, Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, incorporating Beast, Being and Spirit Divisions, Goblin Liaison Office, and Pest Advisory Bureau.’

‘Mind to step back, a little?’ squeaked a small wizard with a long red beard and a bird-cage full of Jobberknolls, which jittered completely soundless in the frame but disgorged some sort of black and glittery fog. The doors clanged shut yet again.

‘Level Three, Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes, incorporating the Accidental Magic Reversal Squad, Obliviator Headquarters, and Muggle-Worthy Excuse Committee.’

The two French Witches left together with most of the paper aeroplanes the lift but were cautious not to get too near to the Jobberknolls and their black fog. The lift juddered with rattling noises upwards again, the small wizard sneezed loudly as he accidently inhaled a bit of the fume.

‘Bless you,’ said Astoria politely and read “ _Thank you,_ ” on the bearded wizards lips but like the tiny blue, speckled feathered birds in his cage he had lost his voice.

‘Level two, Department of Magical Law Enforcement, including the Improper Use of Magic Office,  Department of National Muggle Cooperation, Auror Headquarters, and Wizengamot Administration Services.’

With even greater caution than the Beauxbaton witches to avoid the dazzling black fume, Astoria departed snake like and Draco followed her out into a long corridor lined with dozens of doors on each side. Fake sunlight from the enchanted windows between the several offices streamed insight. The Magical Maintenance had settled today for a nice summer weather with sheep clouds.

‘Quick now and keep your head down,’ whispered Astoria to Draco before they walked through a pair of heavy oak doors. They entered an open area, divided by many cubicles. The air was filled with busy chatting and laughter, the noise of quills scratching on paper as their ink ran out and the swirling of countless of inter-departmental memos. A bronze sign stated in thick letters: _Auror Headquarters._

The inside of the nearest cubicle was plastered with many old photographs, displaying a couple of a redheaded woman and a man with unkempt jet black hair and glasses. They couldn’t possibly be older than Draco and Astoria were. On some pictures, they were joined by a likewise young looking Remus Lupin or Sirius Black or occasionally both. Next to this collage hung a massive silver framed painting, the drawing’s inhabitant seemed to be elsewhere. But the first eye-catcher was, flying in circles, a miniature of a Hungarian Horntail chasing the model of a Firebolt in the square meters of the cubicle. Some sort of charm restricted them to dart out of it, if they came too close to the edge, they suddenly changed their direction.

Hectically Astoria impelled to move along as quickly as possible, but Draco stood there frozen solid.

‘He’s usually out on a mission. Come on, before they…’

It was already too late, the lively atmosphere around them gone. All Aurors had interrupted whatever they were doing and gazed at the young Malfoy.

‘Oh look who we got here. One of Lord Voldemort’s closest allies. Albeit, he isn’t in Azkaban, because his family found just the right moment to convert. Sometimes I have to wonder about the Wizengamot’s decisions. Every day we Aurors risk our life to catch scum like him and they set him free.’ bellowed a scarlet-robed wizard with ponytail.

‘Cut it, Williamson!’ snarled Astoria, trying to grab Malfoy’s wrist but grasped at nothing.

‘Levicorpus,’ said the grim Auror and pointed his wand at Draco, who was now hanging by his ankle mid-air. Williamson jolted his wand up and down and shook the miserable looking Draco through. His robes flapped in his face, a little package fell out of them and clattered as it touched the floor. The other Aurors laughed and clapped joyfully. Astoria expected Draco to snap, to revolt, basically to do anything, even when there wasn’t much he could do without a wand. Stoic he endured the situation. Instead, Astoria snapped and pulled out her wand.

‘You bloody broom head! I’ll report this! Get him down. NOW!’ she screamed fiercely, aiming at Williamson.

‘Eh? We’re just having a little fun, aren’t we?’ he said, turning his head slightly to the side to get some reassurance from his colleagues.

‘Densaugeo!’ Astoria hissed, the hex hit Williamson directly in the face. It startled him so much that he released his spell on Draco, who dropped not very graceful on the ground.

A row of laughter filled the open room. The blond ran his fingers through his hair, tugged his shirt back in and picked the package up. But they weren’t laughing because of him. Williamson’s teeth were growing at an alarming rate. He already resembled a beaver but they didn’t stop, growing over his chin down to his chest.

This time, Astoria got hold of Draco’s wrist and tagged him along the rows, while the Aurors were still distracted. They walked through a second set of oak doors, into another passage.      

‘Unbelievable! You ought to think they are the Elite and should know better, yet, they behave like a bunch of Doxies!’ she spat. They turned right, marched along another corridor.

‘Nice hex,’ said Draco and smiled somewhat thankful. ‘Not that I couldn’t have done it myself if I had a wand.’

Then they turned left and instantly right again into a dimly lit and distinctly murky corridor. At the end, there was a wooden door with a probably too often polished, the metal already came to light, gilded plaque reading: _Department of National Muggle Cooperation_.  As they stepped through, three glass doors literally popped up. On the left one stood in black letters: _Misuse of Muggle Artefacts_ , on the one in the middle: _Head Office_ and finally on the right one: _Office for the Research and Enlisting of Muggle Behaviour, Rites, and Technology_. Draco knocked.

But no one answered. He knocked again a bit louder. Astoria bit on her bottom lip to refrain from laughing.

‘What are you doing?’ she asked sanctimoniously.

‘Knocking! Of course! Are we at the right office?’

‘Yes. Office for the Research and Enlisting of Muggle Behaviour, Rites, and Technology. That’s where Astoria Greengrass works.’ she said, watching Draco’s frustration rise.

‘Why isn’t she opening then?’ he barked back.

‘Well, she would, if you would mind stepping aside a little,’ Astoria had the key in her hand, squeezed beside Draco and unlocked the door.

Thunderstruck he eyed her. ‘You?’

‘Yes me Draco,’ she smiled cattily. ‘Now swing your pathetic ass in here!’ Her fists were stemmed in her waist.

‘You’re nothing like your sister,’ he stammered in horror. Gone the possibility of a good first impression.

‘I take this as a compliment,’ chirped the brunette, turning on her heels after she closed the door behind them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> pls let me know what you think and if I should go on with it!


	5. A bit sweeter than usual

Astoria’s office was not very spacious, still, she managed it somehow to fit dozens of books, many staples of files and documents, a big mahogany desk, a few cardboard boxes with small electronic devices such as cassette players, mobile phones, battery torches, milk frothers, little fans, a nose hair trimmer and two comfy looking old leather chairs in it. On the walls, which were covered with a forest green wallpaper hung a poster from The Weird Sisters, a cork noticeboard with memos on it and the drawing of a winged horse. It currently ate the leaves of a beech, that hung into the picture. Astoria gestured Draco to sit in the chair in front of the desk and seated herself opposite to him. She put her elbows on the shining wooden surface, intervened her fingers and looked at him. Where should she begin? As amusing at it was that he didn’t recognize her, it had also a bitter flavour to it. She wasn’t as flamboyant as her sister, but, more than enough boys at school had lost their hearts to her. Therefore, it felt like a slap in the face.

‘No wonder you didn’t remember who I am. It was delusional of me to believe an arrogant prat like you used to be, would care about others than sworn enemies and your personal fan club!’, barked Astoria.

‘I had a fan club?’, he looked smug and put a false smile on, which Astoria in her temper didn’t figure out to be false.

‘As if you didn’t know! Your pug-faced girlfriend was obviously the leader. But don’t be so pleased with yourself and wipe that grin off your face. For your information, Potter had one too, and believe me, some of his followers had an even more obsessive nature than Pansy!’

Potter was a sore point for Draco. She noticed it as he froze in front of his cubicle and by the way his face fell empty at the mention of his name. This situation was awkward. Maybe she should try to be calmer and more open minded. It was not really Draco’s fault after all, that she had to work with him for the next two months. Or was it? The more she thought it through, the more she couldn’t wrap her mind around it. Being unhappy about spilled milk wouldn’t help. She took a deep breath and rummaged the lowest drawer. After a short while, she pulled the needed forms out and put them on the desk. ‘If you mind signing here, here and here,’ she tapped on the papers, then handed Draco a quill. Without hesitation, he signed all three and shoved them back to her. Someone knocked on the door.

‘Ah Arthur, perfect timing! Come in, Mr Malfoy is already here,’ Astoria answered. Mr Weasley entered the room, Draco instantly stood up and shook hands with him. ‘A pleasure to meet you, Mr Weasley,’ he stuttered uneasily. In lack of space and after he ensured it wouldn’t be impolite, he sat down again.

‘I see you found your way to our small department… How’s your mother, my second cousin Narcissa?’ Arthur asked tactfully and tried to find a good place to stand in the small office. He was cautious not to knock anything over. Astoria gave him a warning glare, it wouldn’t be the first time.

Ashen-faced Draco gulped and answered after a small pause, ‘Not so good to be true. Being cut out from all social events and not being able to leave the premises doesn’t sit well with her. I hope it doesn’t get as bad as with father. But she takes great pride in caring for her flower garden.’

‘I’ll ask Molly to send her some hollyhock seeds. We had so many this year we nearly didn’t notice a Moke nest between them. Not that I don’t like them, but if there are too many they’ll fight with the Kneazles again,’ Arthur patted Draco’s shoulder, who murmured irritated by the unexpected contact ‘Thank you, that would be nice.’

‘Arthur,’ Astoria interrupted. ‘Williamson hexed Mr Malfoy on the way here. And I’ve got the feeling that most of the other Aurors would too if I’m not around. Could we leave an invisibility cloak or something similar with Eric at the Security Desk? It would be a hassle if I’ve to fetch him every morning!’

‘Ah yes, yes, I feared something like this would happen. I’ll ask Kingsley but there shouldn’t be a problem,’ Arthur scratched his head, ‘Speaking of whom, here’s the potion you’re asked for. But, and I quote, you know where the line is drawn,’ he gave Astoria a small unlabeled vial with a colorless, water-like fluid.

‘Well, I leave you both to it. Mr Malfoy you’re in good hands with Greengrass here, but if you have any questions, you’re always free to find me at my office next door,’ and with that, he smiled for a last time, turned on his heels and left the room. Draco looked after him.

‘I don’t understand…,’ he murmured.

‘Hm?’ made Astoria while admiring the beautifully ornamented vial.

‘Why is he so nice to me?’ asked Draco still bewildered.

‘Who? Arthur? He’s nice to everyone, except to those who dare to threaten his family.’

‘I’ve heard one of his sons died in the Battle of Hogwarts,’ said Draco and looked guilt ridden.

Astoria knew instantly what Draco tried to say. She put the vial aside and placed her palm on his. His hand was cold. ‘I don’t think he blames you for it. Draco Lucius Malfoy, get over yourself. You’re not the reason for everything. It was war and bad things happen at war. Many people have died. If the Wizengamot would have found you responsible for any of those deaths, you wouldn’t be sitting here. You’re a victim too.’

Again Draco avoided Astoria’s gaze and pulled his hand away. ‘I don’t think many see it like that.’

‘Merlin’s beard, your mood swings are unbelievable. They make me wish you would sneer at me and say for whatever childish reason “Wait until my father hears about this”,’she mimicked Draco’s younger self. He blushed faintly in embarrassment.

‘Anyway, whether you like it or not, you’re stuck with me for the next two months and I solemnly swear that it won’t do you any good if you don’t learn to look me in the eyes,’ she made a silly grimace and rose her fist. Finally, Draco chuckled weakly and gazed directly at her. Astoria felt a bit strange from the impact his grey eyes had on her. Perplexed she broke the eye contact and arranged the signed papers to appear busy.  

‘Do you prefer water or juice?’ she tried to move to the next topic and pulled out two glasses, a bottle of water and a bottle of grape juice from the cupboard.

‘Juice, please.’

Astoria filled one glass with the red juice and the other one with clear water. There wouldn’t be any possibility to mix them up. In the one with the grape juice she dripped with a pipet three drops from the ominous potion Arthur had brought her. She shoved the glass in front of Draco. ‘Before I’ll explain everything to you, I think we should have a little chit chat.’

‘This is not what I think it is,’ stated Draco shaken.

‘I see no need for us to beat about the bush. Yes, this is Veritaserum,’ she answered plainly.

‘I thought the Ministry of Magic has restricted its usage? They didn’t even use it in our trials!’

‘No need to panic. This is just between us two. And of course, Minister Kingsley gave me his permission for this interrogation. I won’t ask anything inappropriate,’ said Astoria as calm and sympathetic as possible.

Draco eyed her suspiciously. ‘Do I have a choice?’

‘Hm, let me think about it… no. Just drink the bloody juice. It’ll spare us both some time,’ she rolled her eyes in agony. ‘If it helps, the successful participation on the program has nothing to do with what you’ll say under the influence of the truth serum. I just want to know with what exactly I’m dealing.’

Reluctantly Draco grabbed the glass and emptied it in one go. ‘Satisfied?’

‘Yes. How does it taste? I was always curious to ask that,’ she said.

‘Maybe a bit sweeter than usual. If you’re so curious you could try it too, you know?’ he grunted and crossed his arms.

‘I fear I have to decline. Perhaps some other time,’ she smiled smugly. ‘What were you doing at Phonox last Friday?’

‘Phonox?’ he asked.

‘That’s how the club was called…’

‘Nothing in particular. Wasting my time, drinking, enjoying the company.’

‘Speaking of company, who was that woman you were snogging so fiercely on the couch?’

‘I don’t know. I don’t know her name,’ he shrugged his shoulders.

‘Is she a witch?’

‘No…’

‘Let me get this clear. You, Draco Malfoy were in a Muggle establishment and snogged with a Muggle woman?’  

‘Yes.’

‘Why? Why weren’t you in the Leaky Cauldron or the Three Broomsticks or the Hopping Pot or the Green Dragon or the Hog’s Head or any other wizarding pub?’

‘That’s simple. Most of them would throw me out instantly or I get more or less kindly asked to leave because my presence is bothering the other guests. You do know surprisingly many pubs for a witch…,’ he raised a brow.

‘Where did you get the Muggle Money? It’s against law 473 to transform anything into money, no matter which currency!’

‘Yes, I’m fully aware of that. My house-elf exchanged it for me at Gringotts.’

‘Why did this other guy punch you? And why didn’t you defend yourself?’

‘I assume the girl was his girlfriend? Why should I? Have you seen how big he was? And besides, he had every right to punch me.’

Frustrated Astoria based her forehead in her palm and sighed. This didn’t stop you from kissing her, she thought. ‘What the bloody hell did you take, that caused you a seizure and where did you get it?’

‘Some sort of white powder. I saw a man sell it to another at the restroom. He asked me if I want some too and I bought it.’

‘You’re not planning to buy it again, are you?’

‘No,’ he shook his head.

‘Good,’ she breathed out relieved. Not that he would have any chance to do it on her watch.

‘What did you do the last five years during your house arrest?’

‘At night I drank, by day I slept. There was not much to do anyway. Still better than talking to my delusional father or to my ever nagging mother. Sometimes I read a bit in our library. But only when my father wasn’t there. I tried to avoid him as much as possible.’

‘Why?’ she asked curiously. Astoria had been her father’s little princess all her life. Until she turned 17. The day everything changed and they told her the bitter truth. Since then she preferred it not to spend more time as necessary with both of her parents, but especially with her father. Father-issues? She had them too.

‘He’s insane. He’s constantly muttering to himself that he needs to prepare for the return of the Dark Lord. Ever since he came back from Azkaban he mixes up the present with past. Sometimes he says things like we must choose the right side, otherwise, we’ll be in great danger or he asks me why I’m home and not at Hogwarts,’ Draco looked visibly ashamed. This particular piece of information he surely wouldn’t have shared without the influence of the serum. Astoria felt a tad guilty. Only two more questions and she would be satisfied enough.

‘Do you think purebloods are better than muggle-borns and Muggles?’

‘No,’ answered Draco instantly but then paused a little. ‘I think we have a greater responsibility, but no, purebloods are not better.’ Astoria smiled, this wasn’t a widespread opinion in the families of the Sacred Twenty-eight. Hearing it from Draco felt like a milestone.

‘How do you feel right now?’ she asked at last.

‘Not particularly good. I wished you wouldn’t have asked me these questions. I wished I would have recognized you instantly. I wished I wouldn’t have this bloody tattoo on my underarm about which everybody seems to know. And I wished those hateful glares and nasty comments would stop,’ he looked torn between anger, guilt, and shame.

‘Thank you for your candour Draco.’ said Astoria.

‘Right,’ he snorted back.

‘Given the fact that you kind of should know me, you can call me Astoria, or not. Your choice. But I will call you Draco anyhow. Mr Malfoy sounds like your father…’ Draco nodded and Astoria continued,’Today you’ll start with reading the Ministry’s principles on interactions with Muggles and the British Common Law and Statute Law, while I’m trying to handle all those files and reports. In between, I will ask you some questions to check if you’re truly reading and understanding it. You can take notes if you like.’  

Draco pulled the little box with the earring out of his robes and placed it on the desk.

‘What’s this?’ asked Astoria puzzled.

‘A token of gratitude from my mother,’ he sighed.

‘Uhm, thank you? But it’s a little too late for a bribe, don’t you think?’ She pushed the small carton back to Draco. If this was his usual way it wouldn’t work on her. What was in it? No. She worked for the Ministry, therefore, she couldn’t and she definitely wouldn’t accept it. What was he even thinking?

Draco shoved the box back to her. ‘It’s actually not for you. It’s a pair of sapphire earrings for your sister Daphne. Mother read about the engagement party in the Daily Prophet.’

‘Ah, I see. Well, this makes more sense,’ a bit disappointed she pocketed the carton.

‘I’ll give it to her. I’m sure she will be delighted. Your mother always had an extraordinary taste when it came to jewelry.’ She remembered how she often had admired Narcissa for her beauty and her fashion sense as a child.

And so the first day of the Pureblood meets Muggle project went by without any further accidents. Mostly silent both of them sat there, read or scribbled something down. For lunch, Arthur came by with a basket full of delicious sandwiches, which Molly had sent. He talked nonstop about their Kneazle problem at the burrow and the possible functions rubber ducks could have. Being forced to listen to those ridiculous stories due to sheer politeness it was hard for her not to burst into laughter when Draco grimaced while Arthur wasn’t looking. Hereafter, Astoria kept glimpsing every now and then at Draco. She wasn’t used to working this close together with anyone. Sometimes she had shared tasks with Belby, but he did never sit in her office and in addition to it right in front of her. Overall she was thankful that Draco was a surprisingly quiet person and the look he had when he concentrated was also quite pleasant. Not that it would matter, but it made it easier for her to accustom to the new situation.     

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> you have no idea how I love hearing from you guys, so please leave kudos or comments!!! - I post the new chapters on tumblr (fuzzbuttsquawksalot ) first!


	6. Unannounced Visitors

As promised the Ministry had stored an invisibility cloak at Eric’s desk and Draco arrived by Astoria’s office without any harm and punctually at half-past eight in the morning. An hour in, he was diligently reading something about criminal property damage and she was sitting over an essay about the metro ticketing machines. A brown haired wizard stormed without knocking straight into the office, his robes flapped in the motion. The glass door rattled so loudly that the winged horse in the drawing pranced.

‘Astoria!’ the wizard squealed indignantly, recognized Draco right in front and somehow avoided last second to run into him. He shot glares of hate at Draco, who looked at the sudden intruder if it was possible even more confused than before.

‘Good morning Belby, as perky as ever,’ Astoria said entirely unfazed.

‘How. Why? They can’t !’ he stammered vigorously and now with a way deeper voice than before. He pulled a baby-blue linen handkerchief out and wiped the sweat from his forehead.The disgust was written on Draco’s face. Astoria filled a glass with water, levitated it over to Belby, he emptied it hastily and put it with a clank on the desk.

‘Thank you. I came as soon as I got the news! Are you ok? They can’t force you to work with this…’ he gazed with extreme dislike at Draco and finished his sentence vigorously ‘this Death Eater scum!’ Abruptly Draco rose from his chair, the vein on his temple was pumping, his fists were rolled. Now, by half a head taller as Belby he hissed down to him ’Say that again!’.    

Belby drew his wand, but before he could do anything Astoria had him already disarmed with a well placed ‘Expelliarmus’. One of the boxes with the electronic devices rattled as the wand fell in.

‘Mugglefucking Trollshit!’ she cursed fiercely. Both of the men looked at her astonished. Marcus Belby’s mouth stayed open but Draco smirked. ‘It’s before 10 o’clock and you already managed to throw a tantrum in my bloody office! No one attacks anyone in here, understood?’

‘Yes,’ they both answered in unity and Draco sat down after she had gestured him to do.

‘Good morning again. How can I help you Belby? And this time, please without insulting my protégé.’

‘Prote-what? Has he harmed you in any way?’ Belby asked worriedly.

With knitted brows, Astoria and Draco looked at each other and then at Belby. This was ridiculous. Astoria saw that Draco was on the verge of saying something but she hushed him.

‘What? Merlin’s beard Belby. You better should stop reading those Muggle fairytales, they have a bad influence on you.’

‘But…,’ he protested.

‘Don’t you know me? Do I look like a damsel in distress?’ she hissed.

‘No, but…’

‘You know exactly that I can defend myself more than sufficient!’

‘Yes, I know, I didn’t mean…’

‘And if you read the memos, you should know that Mr Malfoy is currently not in possession of his wand or any wand at all,’ she huffed.

‘Yes, but still. Astoria can’t you see? Open your eyes! I’m actually worried about your well being! Maybe I went too far. But they shouldn’t have put such a task solely on your shoulders. No one knows what he might be planning. I’ll ask Arthur to help out with him too. It’ll be safer for all of us,’ begged Belby.

‘You know that I’m sitting right here?’ snorted Draco.

‘See! He’s dangerous!’ argued Belby.

Astoria tapped annoyed with her fingernails rhythmically on the desk and sighed loudly.

‘Draco, are you, in fact, dangerous and planning to harm me, the Ministry or basically anyone else,’ she asked jokingly.

‘No, of course not. I’m not planning anything and except for this rather rude person behind me I’m not tempted to harm anyone,’ sneered Draco.

‘Satisfied ?’ asked Astoria.

‘He could be lying,’ argued Belby. Before Draco could open his mouth and spat something in return, which Astoria guessed would be contra productive she kicked him under the desk in his shin. He looked at her like he was trying to say ‘ _What was that for?_ ’.

‘Belby, will you just shut up and listen to me? The Minister himself and Arthur came up with the idea for this project. They wouldn’t give Mr Malfoy the chance to participate in it if they had any reason to believe that he’s scheming something. And they assigned me to supervise him because they think I’m the best person for this task. Seeing how prejudiced you are, your abilities aside, I think they might me right,’ belled Astoria and chopped her hand on the desk to underline her point.  

‘Fine. Can I get my things and work in here together with you? Just in case!’ pleaded Belby.

‘No. As of now, it’s crowded enough. And you have your own office right across the corridor!’ answered Astoria sternly.

‘But. Ok, at least go and have lunch with me. I don’t like it that you’re locked up in here with him all the time! We could talk about details then,’ said Belby.

‘On the one hand, you’re suspicious of him and on the other, you ask me to leave him here alone without surveillance? That won’t do. I promise I’ll come running for you first if anything happens and we can have lunch some other time after this program, alright?’ said Astoria in a much calmer voice, she even put a smile on her lips. As she felt Draco’s cynical stare on her the smile vanished immediately.  

‘Alright. As soon as anything happens you scream and I’ll be here in a flash. And I’m still going to have a talk with Arthur about this,’ grizzled Belby and was on his way out.

‘Don’t forget your wand,’ commented Draco coolly.

Angrily Marcus Belby turned on his heels, dug through the box with the Muggle devices, pocketed his wand and then finally left with the clatter of the glass door.

‘You’re a bad liar,’ stated Draco as he was gone.

‘How come? I’m a good enough liar if the person I’m lying to hasn’t got a clue,’ Astoria said smugly and brushed a hair strand out of her face.

‘But you could tell him that you’re not interested,’ Draco went on. So he had noticed, thought Astoria. Since the very first day she started working under Arthur, back then they had only one office and nothing you could call a department, Belby had acted like a love drunken teenager towards her. He was a nice fellow, pleasant to look at with his hazel brown hair and eyes too, and certainly as clever as she expected anyone from Ravenclaw to be. But something was missing. And Astoria had decided for herself not to get entangled in any kind of romantic relationship anyway.   

‘It’s not that easy,’ she sighed and grabbed the file on top of the staple to her left. And in any case, she didn’t need a lecture from Mister Antisocial himself. But she probably should get some new excuses on hand. The Pureblood meets Muggle program would only buy her two months.  

But what truly troubled her was not Belby’s wrong placed affection but his loose tongue. Now that he knew Draco was working with her, the news would spread like a wildfire. And she had no interest in any more guests, who would storm into her normally quiet office and put in their two cents regarding this working arrangement. The thought gave her a headache. How can anyone possibly concentrate with colleagues like this? That was why she preferred the field work. No one there who could jar on her nerves.

She looked down on her essay, where was she? Ah, right, ticketing machines and the magnetic stripes on the paper cards. She opened a drawer and got a package of Shock-o-Chocs out. She unwrapped one, put it in her mouth and started humming while the sweet chocolate melted on her tongue and the little sugar crystals prickled at the same time. Draco was reading silently. As much as she enjoyed the silence she actually wished he would interact with her more. She shoved the package in his direction.

‘Want some? I’ve also got some Fizzing Whizzbees, Peper Imps, and Jelly Slugs,’ she sang.

Draco smiled but said ‘How old are you again?’

‘Twenty-One, so what? You can never be too old for some delicious treats. Except if your name is Draco and you behave like an old stoic dragon,’ she teased and acted like she would put the Shock-o-Chocs away any second.

‘I didn’t say I want none,’ said Draco and helped himself. They both smiled and looked at each other a little longer as needed. Therefore, both flinched as it knocked on the door.

‘Merlin’s beard, my humble office suddenly feels like a wasp nest. All too curious to see the celebrity,’ she hissed under her breath. ‘Please come in.’

The next visitor was indeed an unexpected one. A witch in a business outfit, a long mane of brown hair and warm brown eyes entered. ‘Miss Greengrass, Malfoy,’ she greeted and Draco looked again like someone had petrified him.

‘What a surprise, Miss Granger. To what do I owe the honour of this visit?’ asked Astoria with sweet voice.

‘I’m handing out pamphlets for the Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare. I thought, you might be interested,’ said Hermione and viewed Draco as she put two of her brochures on the edge of the desk.

‘How thoughtful of you. Still, you hadn’t had to trouble yourself and get here personally. You could have sent them as memos,’ commented Astoria overly friendly.

‘In fact, I had to come by personally. I’ve tried sending memos to all employees of the Ministry, but they mostly end up in the bin.’

‘How odd,’ added Astoria.

‘Well, talking about this matter directly seems much more efficient to raise awareness. I assume you both have house-elves at home,’ Hermione went on. Draco looked like he wanted to say something, but couldn’t find the right words. This time, Astoria didn’t kick his shin she only nudged it slightly to give him the signal that she would handle this situation and shoo the intruder away.

‘As I happen to know, there resides a house-elf at the Malfoy Manors. But given the circumstances, that all Malfoy’s are currently banned from possessing a wand the house-elf is a strongly required asset and completion to the family. And if you have any questions about the Greengrass’s house-elf, I would refer you to my sister Daphne. I don’t live at our Manor anymore and have no influences on the house-elf’s tasks or treatment. But I don’t think that’s the only reason why you are here Miss Granger,’ stated Astoria and scanned her with her blue eyes. Tensed, Draco listened to the conversation the two witches were having over his head. From time to time Astoria darted a glance at him, as a reminder that it would be better if he let her handle things.

‘Thank you for your information. And no, you’re right. There’s also another reason. It was brought to my attention today that you are finalizing this program in which purebloods are taught how to treat Muggles. And as a muggleborn, I would like to offer my help, ’ said Hermione somewhat bossily.

Astoria would have to kill Belby afterwards. Of all people, he had to run to Misses Know-it-all. Why was everyone so keen on offering her help? Didn’t she get it right as Arthur said to her that Draco would be her help, her needed hand? And now that he was here they all tried to help to somewhat watch over her helper? No way!

‘Thank you,’ Astoria expressed calmly ‘As you said, and I mean no offense, when I’m saying this, this program is for purebloods, what you are not. The whole reason why three pureblooded and not three muggleborn wizards are running The Department of National Muggle Cooperation is, that we are the ones who are trying to understand this world that is foreign to us. A muggleborn hasn’t the same problems and questions as we do because for them the Muggle world is the standard. How can someone, who hasn’t any questions in the first place find a logical way to explain them? As much as I appreciate your thought, I have to decline your offer. But, if it’s alright, I would love to share your insights when my explanations can’t find the true root,’ said Astoria and smiled politely at Hermione. You can beat a Know-it-all only with watertight arguments.

‘Very vell. I understand your point. But you can contact me anytime about any question,’ said the brunette with the frizzy hair, stepped towards the door and nodded to Draco and Astoria before leaving. Astoria was jolly glad about that, she sighed.

‘You’re allowed to breathe. There are some people you really don’t want to meet, aren’t there? Well, at least you didn’t get into a catfight,’ she joked.

‘Only because you kept kicking my shin,’ sneered Draco.

‘I know you were a delicate flower after seeing how greatly you exaggerated with the scratch from the Hippogriff, but I thought even you could endure more,’ she quipped. Every time she made him roll his eyes in agony it was a little victory for her.

‘How come you’re only mean to me and polite to all the others?’ asked Draco and drove his fingers through his white blond hair.

‘I’m not? Everyone gets what they deserve. And now keep on reading until the next unannounced visitor swings by,’ she tossed a Shock-o-Choc to him, which he caught mid-air and instantly noshed.

But in fact the rest of the day and for the next two days, it was rather quiet without further visits. Even Arthur was out on some sort of mission. Only Belby stuck his head a couple times through the door to check on Astoria. Every time he did, he had a staring battle with Draco. It amused Astoria greatly. On the negative side, she would have to stock up her sweets stash soon. Draco was more of a sweet tooth than she would have guessed.            

                                                             x

‘Draco,’ Astoria chirped on Friday afternoon as she had unexpectedly somehow managed to process the very last of her files. Her office looked much more organized without those huge staples of documents and interdepartmental memos. Everything was neatly stowed away or empty. Full of motivation and pride she rocked on her chair back and forth.

‘Draco!’ She warbled again gleefully.

The blond in front of her had his head still over the newest journal of Guidelines how to interact with Muggles Edition 845. He read to the end of the paragraph, grabbed a bookmarker and placed it carefully between the pages before closing the journal. Finally, he looked up and responded sharply ‘What?’

‘Oh don’t be such a grumpy Kneazle! I’m done with my files and you definitely read enough for the both of us. From next week on, we’re doing field research! Ok, we probably will need the whole Monday for preparations and shopping at Diagon Alley, BUT, we’re out of this dusty old broom cupboard. Bloody hell, I hate it here. I’ve got a backache from all the sitting.’ Astoria demonstratively stretched her back and looked at the small watch inside of a figure of an owl on her desk. Not getting any comment from her opposite unnerved her a little.

‘Hello, earth to Draco? Did you hear what I said?’

‘Yes. And as much as I enjoy not having to daily tip toe through the Auror Headquarters, I don’t really know what to expect,’ he responded with crossed arms. He wasn’t exactly in his best mood.

‘Well, neither do I and that’s the fun thing, I guess. The Muggle world is a world of undiscovered wonders!’

‘Obviously they already discovered or invented them themselves, so I’m not sure if you can call them wonders,’ Draco answered. In contrast to her, he didn’t seem very happy. But not even his bad mood could bring her down. No. Not today, not after what she had at first thought would be a good start for the program, but soon had felt like a punishment for herself, was over.

‘What am I supposed to do now?’ asked Draco.

‘It’s a bit early, but I suppose you could go home…’ he started to pack his things ‘or,’ Astoria looked at him auspicious and made a dramatic pause to get his attention, in what she succeeded as Draco stopped packing and leaned towards her. ‘We could go and catch a glimpse of the reason why you are here,’ she whispered.

‘What do you mean?’ he whispered back, without knowing why they were suddenly whispering when no one else was around.

‘We could visit your wand! Don’t you miss it? Don’t you want to hold it just for a little bit?’ She breathed into his ear, her blue eyes shimmering by the possibility of doing something forbidden. Astoria was a generally nice and sometimes childish person, but in situations like this, she showed that she was a Slytherin through and through.

‘We’re not exactly allowed to do so, are we?’ he spoke softly.

‘No,’ she grinned and Draco couldn’t help but grin back.

‘You know where it is?’ he asked.

‘Yes,’ she stressed the S.

‘Could we get in trouble?’ he raised one brow.

‘Naturally,’ she beamed at him. Would he have the guts for an adventure? Of course, they would get into some trouble if someone copped them. Surely it wouldn’t be as sinister as she let on to Draco. Maybe a bit extra work or a penalty charge. But teasing Draco was too funny and hopefully she could lure him out of his shell. His pupils dilated, he sneered again and Astoria knew she had him on her hook.

‘Well then, Miss Greengrass, you lead the way,’ he hummed playfully and swung the invisibility cloak over.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> pls let me know what you think about this story


	7. The Ever-Locked Room

Draco walked besides Astoria under the borrowed invisibility cloak. They went straight through the Auror Headquarters, past the small cubicles, past the offices of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement to the lifts. Astoria pushed the button. His heart pulsed palpable in his chest. What was he getting into? He eyed the briskly brunette, she seemed happy with their little venture.   

‘Where exactly are we going? Can I doff the cloak?’ whispered Draco.

‘No, keep it on, and you’ll see,’ whispered Astoria back and pushed the ‘down’ button anew.

The lift arrived, the gilded grills slid open. A bunch of interdepartmental memos emerged. They all had a red ‘urgent’ stamp on their wings. But Draco had no time to wonder about their content as he meandered inside the cabin, past a very old couple with matching lilac robes and reading glasses, which made their eyes appear overly large. They smelled like mothballs.

‘The Atrium,’ said the monotone female voice and the old couple got out while a flamboyant little wizard, who wore a robe that looked like it was a cut-out piece of the night sky stitched with dazzling stars, got in. The lift clattered further down.

‘Level Nine, Department of Mysteries,’ said the female voice.

The little wizard stepped out, Astoria and Draco followed behind, but Astoria gestured to fall back a bit. ‘Please hold onto my robe or something so that I know you’re still here,’ she whispered to her side. Draco held loosely the edge of her sleeve, they went straight on.

He had been here before. The corridor was different from those above. Bare walls and no windows, only the flames of torches enlightened the gloomy hallway. At the end of it was a plain black door. Draco had passed it back then, as the Aurors had dragged him to the staircase which was located left of it and the only way to reach the courtrooms of the Wizengamot. But this time, they didn’t turn left like the flamboyant wizard did, they stopped in front of the ominous black door.

‘Alohomora,’ said Astoria after checking both sides. It swung open, she marched over the threshold, Draco at her heels. The circular room they were standing in was pitch black. The walls, the ceiling, the floor, everything was black and swallowed the blue flickering light, which branches of candles emitted. The reflections let the floor look like the surface of the dark lake by night. The moment they shut the door, the wall around them rotated sideways and changed the position of a dozen nearly invisible handleless doors, theirs included. They were all painted in deep black. As the rumbling stopped and everything became stationary again Astoria said ’I think we’re the only ones in here at the moment. We should be good, you can take the cloak off.’

Gladly Draco did so, if Astoria lost him here, he would have no idea how to get out. ‘What is this place?’ he spoke softly. Somehow the aura of the room crept up on him. He felt goosebumps spread on his arms. Was it cold, or was he only imagining it to be so?

‘This is the Department of Mysteries. Hasn’t your father told you about it?’ she answered calmly.

In fact, his father hadn’t. He had once mentioned a fight at the Ministry but never the exact location. So this must be it, the place where the Dark Lord had ordered to achieve a certain prophecy for him and where his uncle Sirius Black had died. A shiver ran down his spine. What exactly does the Ministry mean by mysteries?

With a confident pace, Astoria walked to a certain door on their right. She seemed like she knew where she was going and Draco followed her lead. She pushed the door, it easily swung open. A warm light filled the room behind it.

The narrow space was cramped by shelves with glass vitrines. They filled the prolate area, which led straight to another door, completely. Behind the vitrines were wooden displays of hundreds of wands. Each one of it was neatly arranged in its bracket on navy blue velvet and had an etiquette to it. The labels had in ink written notes about the wand’s wood, the core, the length, the flexibility and all known owners, on them.

Draco’s view skimmed over the vitrines. He stopped in front of a 13 ¾ inch black elmwood wand with unicorn hair core and a lavishly with little diamonds decorated handle. It was his mother’s wand. This wand was the last one he had held in his hands. It was slightly burned, the fiendfyre had nearly destroyed it. But what no one knew at that time, he had pocketed it before he dragged the stunned Goyle along. During the months of the war and during the Battle of Hogwarts it had served him well, he couldn’t leave it to the flames. Yet, he refused to use it in any way after he escaped certain death thanks to Potter and his friends. But the feeling wasn’t comparable with his first wand. He had always been an admirer of the simple things. Looks could be deceiving, but wouldn’t use much if the quality wasn’t right. Astonished he saw that on the label beneath Narcissa Malfoy stood his own name. It must mean that this wand had truly accepted him as its master.

‘Draco, come here,’ Astoria called a few rows further ahead and beckoned him over. And there it was, his one true wand, Hawthorn and unicorn hair, ten inches precisely, reasonably pliant. On the etiquette next to his name stood Harry James Potter. Draco was shocked. Of course, Potter had even fought against the Dark Lord and the Elder Wand with this very wand. It must mean that it wasn’t his wand anymore, it couldn’t be. Switching alliance between family members was one thing, but for a wand with unicorn hair switching allegiance to a known opponent was scarce and most likely final.

‘They ran many tests with it. It’s fascinating how this simple wand could stand against the feared Elder Wand, one of the rumored Deathly Hallows. Mr. Potter was nice enough to leave it in the Ministry’s care,’ Astoria opened the vitrine. But Draco didn’t react, she eyed him from the side. ‘What’s wrong?’

‘I don’t think it accepts me anymore,’ he sighed. Nevertheless, Astoria freed the wand from the display and held it in Draco’s direction. ‘You don’t know that until you’d tried,’ she comforted him.

Gingerly he took it out of her hand. The smooth surface felt wonderful. Oh, how he had missed it.

‘Try something harmless,’ Astoria nudged him and looked expectant.

‘Won’t it set off some sort of alarm, when I use it?’ he asked worriedly.

‘Nonsense, there’s no trace on you. You’re simply not allowed to have or to buy a wand during your ten-year ban. Come on, show me something,’ she said. What should he try? Something easy would be better if the wand opposed him.

Draco cleared his throat, put his feet slightly apart like he was preparing for a duel and whispered ‘Lumos’.

The tip of the wand began to beam, the bright light filled the room.

‘Oh come on, that’s lame. After all these years and you can’t think of something better than Lumos?’ she teased.

But Draco was happy, the wand had without the slightest indication of resistance obeyed him. It still listened to him, he hadn’t been forgotten. And, he was after all these years capable of producing magic. It took a load off his mind.

‘My apologies Miss Greengrass, I didn’t know you were here to see a show,’ he smirked and teased back.

He flicked his wand a little and said ’Serpensortia’. It conjured a beautiful King Cobra. Astoria stepped aside and swung her own wand ’Finite Incantatem’. The snake disappeared instantly. ‘I see, back to your old sly tricks,’ she laughed. Quickly Draco flicked the wand again, pointed it at Astoria and said ’Rictumsempra’.

Astoria started laughing and collapsed to the floor. He hadn’t expected her to react so strongly. Each time he was hit by this spell he was only pushed backwards a few steps with a light tingling sensation. ‘Please, hahaha, please, I take it back, you’re not sly,’ she huffed in between her waves of laughter. Draco pointed the wand away from her, the spell stopped. Like a gentleman, he held his hand out and helped her up. With a red face, tears in her eyes and even more tousled hair than usual she pounded the dust from her robes. She looked somewhat cute with her pouting face. He should caff her more often, now that he knew how ticklish she was. He smirked.

At a moment’s notice, her face went pale. ‘Quick, give me the wand and get under the cloak,’ she demanded. Draco heard approximating voices and footsteps. Someone was nearby. He saw Astoria hastily putting the wand back and closing the glass vitrine as he swung the cloak over.

‘Draco, Draco, where are you?’ she whispered tensely. He grabbed her hand. ‘Let me in under the cloak!’ she begged. He literally pulled her under the fabric. As they could see each other they moved closer together to fit, arms around the other’s shoulders, but it was still too short, their legs showed. They began to run.

‘Trollshit!’ Astoria cussed.

‘I don’t think we both fit under here, besides, what is going on? You said no one should be in here!’ Draco whispered in her ear.

‘Should, would, could, I’m not a seer. Maybe I guessed wrong. If you wouldn’t have used the tickle curse on me, they wouldn’t have heard us. And either way, if I go down, you go down with me.’

They ran through the door, where they came from and were back in the dark circular room. Quickly Draco closed the door behind them.

‘Dammit, why would you do that?’ Astoria hissed, the walls rotated sideways.

‘What?’

‘As soon as you close one door they begin to rotate! I knew where they turned the first time, but back out, without knowing the door we came through, it gets more complicated. This is a security measurement to trap thieves and unwanted guests such as us,’ she groaned in agony.

Was she for real? Why couldn’t she tell him so earlier on! It wasn’t his fault. ‘And how am I supposed to know that? You work here, not me!’, he jeered.

The light from an opening door fell into the room. Whoever was behind them had closed in. They sprinted to the next best door, Astoria tugged him along and they got inside. The rectangular room behind was much brighter, there were many low hanging lamps on golden chains. This place was not as crammed as the one with the wands. Only a few desks stood around an enormous glass tank in the middle. It had the size of a pool and was filled with a repulsive green glowing liquid. Something moved in it. On a second look, Draco was sure it were slimey brains, which drifted slowly through the substance like ivory octopuses.

‘Nox!’ bellowed Astoria, the lamps went out, the whole room gleamed greenishly.

‘Where are we?’ asked Draco in disgust. Why would anyone want to keep human brains in an oversized aquarium?

‘Pretty self-explanatory, The Brain Room,’ she answered and eavesdropped at the entrance. After a while in silence, she opened the door a bit and peered through the crack ‘I think they went somewhere else, we’re good to go’.

Before they stepped over the threshold and closed the door she waved her wand and whispered ‘Signum refulgere’.

A small shining cross, merely brighter than a firefly appeared on the

door. It wasn’t noticeable at the first sight but if you knew what you were looking for, you would definitely see it. As they closed the door the walls began rotating again.

‘I only need to know what’s behind one other door and I can figure out, how to get out,’ she spoke softly. The rumbling stopped, Draco nodded.

Now he took the lead and dragged her to the next door on their left. She had said any would do. He tried to push it open with his shoulder, it didn’t move one inch. ‘It won’t move!’ he puffed, still pressing against it with his arm. He wasn’t giving up.

‘Leave it be…,’ Astoria said and placed her hand on his arm, which was in contact with the black wooden door. The moment she did, it swung open effortless. Surprised they stumbled inside and landed on their knees. ‘…some doors aren’t meant to open,’ she finished her sentence and look baffled. A pinkish and sparkling light filled the likewise circular room. The air in here was warm as a summer breeze, myriads of bookcases and cabinets with thousands of dinky veils filled with silvery liquids seamed the red velvety walls. There were no windows, only drawings of different landscapes during sunset. Draco spotted a Pensieve on a single desk with two comfy looking chairs. The whole floor was covered with a fluffy deep red flokati carpet. Draco thought he shouldn’t wear shoes in here and slipped them off.

‘What are you doing?’ asked Astoria.

‘Not ruining the carpet,’ he said absent minded. He was fascinated by the eye-catcher of the room. A huge fountain with three life-sized mermaid statues made out of shining silver. Their tails were coated with sparkling diamonds. Pinkish water streamed like a waterfall out of the platform they were sitting on over several steps into a pool. Draco had always been fond of the cheeky mermaid in the decorative window of the prefect bathroom, but she didn’t come close to the beauty of these three sirens. He wanted to get closer and to admire the fountain from near.

Astoria pinched him in his side ‘We, we should not be in here. This is bad.’ Draco looked at her puzzled, how could this place be bad? ‘Please, let’s stay, just a few minutes,’ he pleaded and squeezed her hand. Astoria’s eyes dilated. They were sky blue and had a few blurs of lightish yellow in them like sunrays, her full brown eyelashes slightly curled at the tip. Why hadn’t he noticed how enchanting they were before? In fact, he fumed at not taking notice of many little details in her face, such as the two perfectly placed tiny moles on cheeks, the heart-shaped one on the side of her neck and the soft curve line of her luscious peachy lips. He would pay more attention to those details in the future.

She blushed, only now Draco realized that he was still holding her hand. Should he let go of it? He didn’t want to, it felt right. Somehow everything felt right, the temperature, her small hand in his big hand, the way his heart pounded in his chest. Forgotten, that they were fleeing from someone, forgotten that they should leave the Department of Mysteries and forgotten all the hate from others he had to deal with on daily basis.

‘A few minutes, not more. And you have to promise you won’t touch or drink anything in here,’ she murmured, slipped out of her heels, pulled the cloak off and laid it down near the entrance. Draco felt sad as she let go of his hand.

‘How’s this room called?’ he asked, tiptoed towards the fountain and nearly tripped over one of the many cushions, which were laying on the floor. The tufts of the carpet between his toes felt pleasant. Maybe he could get the same carpet for his own room at the mansion. But not in red, moss green would be better.

‘They call it the Ever-Locked-Room,’ she said taking in all of her surroundings.

‘Wasn’t exactly locked today… What is it for?’ he asked while something warm spread from his stomach to his whole body.

‘I’m not sure… I haven’t been in here. Nor do I know anyone who ever has. But there are rumors…,’ Astoria said with pauses between her words. She seemed to have troubles concentrating too. Her cheeks were still rosy and in addition to that were her ears.

The closer they got to the fountain the more a welcoming mixture of scents intensified. Had it to do with the fume, which was rising from the fountain’s pool? It smelled cozy, like fresh green apples, the pages of old books and a field of rye after rain, although he had never smelled this exact mixture at home, but it did seem familiar.

‘Do you smell this? It smells like cashmere, lime, and hints of something metallic…,’ Astoria whispered bashfully and played with one of her hair strands. Why did she smell something utterly different than he did? Draco looked at the pinkish liquid in the fountain again. Then the Knut dropped, of course!

‘Amortensia!’ he said out aloud. Why in the world would the Ministry of Magic hide a huge fountain of the most powerful love potion ever known in the basement? Draco bowed downwards a bit, saw silver and golden rings, some with diamonds, glinting up at him from the bottom of the pool. And he could swear one of the mermaids had just blinked.

Astoria grabbed his hand again. His heart began to flutter, he felt self-conscious, his palm awful sweaty. But Astoria looked also nervous. She swallowed and cleared her throat ‘Then, we really really really shouldn’t be here,’ she intervened her fingers with his. ‘Yeah,’ he huffed back. He had the strong urge to hug her or to touch her face, to run his fingers through her fuzzy hair, to pull her close, bite her earlobes, her delicate neck with the heart-shaped birthmark…

He shook his head, this was totally inappropriate and going in the wrong direction. Were the fumes alone strong enough to create such a desire? They had to go. Now. Before he would do something he would regret later on. Determined he marched towards the entrance, dragging her along. If only the scent wouldn’t be so alluring, and how and why was it so familiar? Should he kiss her? How would she react? No, definitely not, it may sound ridiculous after all that he had done, but he was raised to be better. Not due to the influence of a love potion. Draco gave Astoria merely the time to get into her shoes and grab the cloak as he stormed out. But this time, he remembered not to close the door before she had marked it.      

Back in the dark circular room with the black marble floor, it was cold and gloomy. The walls rotated again, he released her hand. Without it, he felt lonely. Her small palm had naturally suited his. The rumbling stopped. They didn’t talk nor look at each other. Astoria counted something wordlessly with both of her hands and then marched to a door on their left. Draco was at her heels. She opened it barely, peered through the gap and swung it fully open. Not one soul in the whole corridor. They didn’t even have to bother getting under the invisibility cloak. Straight onward he followed her. This was awkward. Should he say something? What should he say? What was going through her mind? Frustrated he ruffled his hair. Why by Merlin’s beard must women be so complicated. He was sure he didn’t do anything wrong.

An empty lift with open grills was already waiting. Finally, as it clattered upwards she broke the silence. ‘I’m getting something from my office. You can go home now. I’ll contact you for the meeting point on Monday via owl. Oh, and don’t forget to bring the cloak back to the wizard at the Security Desk. You won’t need it in the next time,’ she said quickly and pushed it in his arms. The monotone female voice said ‘Atrium. The Ministry wishes a pleasant weekend to all employees.’

Dumbfounded Draco got out. He turned around and saw Astoria’s face before the door closed. Her cheeks were still flushed. Not knowing what he should say he waved. The gilded grills shut, the lift ascended. He facepalmed. Why, the bloody hell, had he waved?     

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> pls guys I'm really struggling if I should continue this... let me know


	8. Green Apples

Flashback: Spring 1997

Exhausted Astoria strolled along the dungeons behind the Great Hall of Hogwarts to an ordinary looking wall and whispered ’Walburga Black’. A heavy iron door became visible, she opened it as quiet as possible and stepped into the Slytherin Common Room. All lamps were out, only the fireplace and the greenish color from the lake water above lightened it.

Once again the meeting of The Bewitching Witches, a club for beauty spells and testing products, such as Crush Blush, the Ten-Second Pimple Vanisher, Everlasting Eyelashes and Patented Daydream Charms from the WonderWitch Sortiment had taken too long.

It was past curfew as she had managed to leave the Club room and the other members, such as Romilda Vane, Eleanor Branstone, her friend Laura Madley, Luna Lovegood, Lavender Brown, Parvati Patil, Hannah Abbott, Cho Chang and Marietta Edgecombe. She hated it how Romilda could go on and on and on for hours like a broken record how good Potter looked and how he had smiled at her or whatsoever.

Astoria couldn’t possibly understand why so many girls had a thing for Harry Potter. For her, he was rather plain and she particularly disliked his lanky figure and wild hair. But, most likely because she was the only Slytherin girl in the club, she was naturally in the minority with this opinion. Nevertheless, The Bewitching Witches, as annoying as some members could be, held many merits for her. For the first time in her life, she felt like she deserved to be called beautiful and had no need to meekly exist in her sister’s shadow.

This meeting they had brewed a potion, which should hopefully highlight the pleasant sides of their own body scent. It wasn’t exactly a love potion because only boys would respond to it, who already found the carrier of the scent appealing anyway. It was more like a bang, which said, hey look at me, in case you didn’t sort it out yet, you probably like me. A little more attention from boys she would have a chance with was exactly what she needed after her breakup with Stephen Cornfoot. Guys could be such know-it-alls sometimes, especially when they were from Ravenclaw. Lost in bitter thoughts and halfway planning a revenge, because that’s what Slytherin girls do when you mess with them, she slumped on a black leather couch in front of the fireplace.  

 It nearly gave her a heart attack as she recognized that someone lied next to her on the couch, curled up like a cat. She knew this pale blond boy, who was in the same year as her sister Daphne. Everyone from Slytherin, or more like everyone from Hogwarts knew Draco Malfoy, the arrogant pureblood, the school bully. Usually, he had his two extremely mean looking lackeys Crabbe and Goyle with him, but now he was all alone. Why would they leave him here vulnerable like this?  

Astoria gazed down at Malfoy. Something in her stomach decided to do backflips. It was so quiet in the room, only his steady breaths and her blood, which rushed through her system and left the noise of crashing waves in her ears, broke the silence. His long but merely visible eyelashes jittered, yet, he didn’t open his eyes. He was dreaming. Haunted by something or someone. 

He was paler than she had last seen him and had red swollen eyes like he had cried shortly before. Without thinking about it, she gently and automatically started to stroke his white blond hair with her cold hand. He felt feverish, the coolness a welcomed ease. His facial expression relaxed.

How can anyone fragile like him put up a cynical front all the time, she asked herself. It must be exhausting. Were dreams the only place, where he couldn’t keep his mask up? But she shouldn’t be here, no one should see him like this, not even her. What would he do, if he knew she was here? No, it was a bad idea, she should go to bed. Flora and Hestia must have been wondering why she wasn’t back yet. ‘Wingardium Leviosa,’ she whispered as silent as possible, pointed her wand towards the nearest blanket and covered Draco gently.

Just as she tried to stand up his hand grabbed her wrist. She turned her head around. Did she wake him? ‘Please stay,’ he mumbled, his eyes were still closed. Carefully she sat back down and put Draco’s head in her lap. Anew, she began stroking his soft blond hair. His lines of worry faded away completely. She had no idea, why she was doing this, or how she had gotten into this situation. But well, he had specifically asked her to stay. Somehow it reminded her of petting Mr Winkers, the old silvery Greengrass cat. But Mr Winkers didn’t cause this borderline painful sensation in her chest.

At least he was at ease. His breaths became rhythmic, he snuggled up against her thighs. Astoria thought he had finally drifted into deep sleep, but then he muttered ‘You smell so good, you smell like green apples.’ At a moment’s notice, her cheeks went pink and hot. Her face resembled probably the colour of a red tomato. Gone all the grace. A well-educated young lady shouldn’t behave like this. What would her father say?

Draco shifted his arms, the left sleeve of his shirt slipped to his elbow. A black tattoo of a skull and a snake, which was slithering through its mouth became visible on his inner forearm. Astoria monitored it closely, it moved slightly. She knew what it stood for. It was the symbol for Lord Voldemort’s followers. But the Dark Mark, how they called it, was only given directly from him to the closest circle of Death Eaters. She didn’t like the sight of it and remembered the Headmaster’s speech at this year’s entrance ceremony.

_“Every day, every hour, this very minute, perhaps, dark forces attempt to penetrate this castle’s walls. But in the end, their greatest weapon… is you.”_

She sighed deeply. What had he gotten himself into? No wonder he looked troubled. Did this mean he’s dangerous? Was he behind those mysterious attacks on Katie Bell and the Weasley boy? Why? Anew she sighed. Lost in thoughts she started stroking his hair again. Without reason, he wouldn’t do such horrible things. Bully to and fro, even when most others didn’t seem to see it, he was all talk. Ratting him out would bring him only more trouble. She decided against it. What mark? She had never seen one. Astoria rolled his sleeve down and continued petting him for hours until she nearly fell asleep herself. Cautiously she got up, put a cushion under his head, gave him a little peck on the cheek and whispered ‘Don’t get killed you stupid prat!’ Then she tiptoed to the girl’s dormitory.

Should she at least tell her best friends the Carrow twins or her sister Daphne what she had done all night? Quickly she decided against it. First of all, no one would believe her anyway and worse, if they did, it would bring trouble. Pansy would definitely not like this. And secondly without telling anyone it would forever be her little secret. A nice one in contrast to the other, which she would never mention to anyone.

_______________________________________________________________________

Draco opened his eyes and touched his cheek. The sun beamed harshly into his room. It was past midday. He had had troubles falling asleep after yesterday’s events.

Did he offend Astoria somehow? It was the fault of this stupid room and the fountain of  Amortensia! He snorted. But why weren’t the effects wearing off? He hadn’t drunk one sip of it, and yet. All he could think about was her. The way her brown hair fell, how she hummed silly songs after she ate something sweet, the graceful way of holding the quill in her hand, the heart-shaped mole on her neck, her gorgeous hips and her fucking unbelievable beautiful azure blue eyes with the yellowish spots in it. How should he ever unsee that? And the worst of all, he had made a fool out of himself. Couldn’t he be more laid-back? Who on earth waves if not seeing someone off before a long journey. So embarrassing! How should he face her on Monday? What was this new daft feeling? Couldn’t he give it back? Should he actually try to woo her? How on earth was he supposed to do that? He had no bloody idea. He never had to, usually, they would come to him. But Astoria wouldn’t come from alone… did she even like him in the slightest?

And then he had this dream he didn’t have for a long time. Or was it a memory? The girl who smelled like green apples and who had comforted him as he lived a life void of hope. At one point he had decided that it must have been either a dream or a hallucination. Imagination or reality it was his safe place to go to in his darkest hours. When his crazy aunt Bellatrix had perfected his Occlumency or the way he handled the Cruciatus Curse. Whenever he had heard any screams from downstairs. The moment after he had learned that Crabbe had died from the fiendfyre. “Don’t get killed…”she had said. There were times when he forgot about this unspoken promise, especially in the last years. But he had kept it. Now, after all, he wasn’t so sure he had imagined it. The smell of the Amortensia fumes had been familiar, too familiar. He wouldn’t have smelled the same exact smell if it only was a product of his fantasy, would he?

However, there was this odd possibility, which exercised him the most. Assumed the girl existed…

She must be a Slytherin because no one else would get into the Slytherin Common Room. And she couldn’t be much younger than him. Why didn’t he open his eyes back then? It could be Astoria. Or did he just wish it was her because she haunted him at the moment? And there was no way he could straightforward ask her! Oh, this agony! He needed distraction!

Maybe a drink? No, no, no, drinking wouldn’t make anything better.

Draco winced hard as it cracked beside his bed. ‘Don’t startle me like that!’ he hissed viciously.

‘Winsy is sorry young Master, it wasn’t her intention. She will not repeat such actions! But a package arrived for the young Master!’ she bowed as deep as possible and handed the brown paper wrapped package with a green silk ribbon and a letter over. Draco opened the letter first.  

_Dear Draco,_

_We meet up at eight o’clock precisely on Monday in front of the Leaky Cauldron. Bring the key to the Malfoy Vault. At any rate, we will be going to Gringotts, Borgin and Burkes and Madam Malkins. Meanwhile, some Muggle Literature to pass the time. You might find it interesting how many facts seeped through. You’ll see what I mean when you read it._

_Take care,_

_Astoria_

She hadn’t mentioned yesterday’s adventure. Her lines didn’t sound affectionate. Probably the Aurors were still reading their mail and she knew that. He wondered why they needed to go to Borgin and Burkes. But it came in handy. Maybe he could sell some of the junk his father had hidden from the Ministry in his study. With Lucius’s slowly fading mental capability Draco was in constant fear his father would hurt himself accidentally with one of the more dangerous Dark Artifacts. He would ask his mother to distract Lucius somehow later today. Draco doubted that he would part with anything voluntarily.

He undid the ribbon, placed it neatly on his nightstand and unwrapped the heavy package. He found a thick book in a crimson leather jacket with the engraved picture of a dragon in his lap. He ran his fingers over it. He liked the feeling. The Hobbit written by J. R. R. Tolkien stood there in golden letters. How unexpected, a gift from Astoria would maybe help him not to think of her all the time. Did she know? It must be coincidence. He opened the book and began cross-legged to read.

‘Does the young Master need Winsy for anything else?’ cheeped the house-elf. He had totally forgotten about her.

‘No... Wait! Bring me tea and some green apples,’ he ordered.

  
‘As Master wishes,’ she answered and vanished with a crack. 


	9. Borgin and Burkes

Astoria waited at the brickstone corner of the Cauldron Shop, right in front of the Leaky Cauldron. Busy wizards and merchants with cages full of owls, bundles of broomsticks and assorted ingredients for potions walked by. It was five past eight. Where the hell was Draco? Annoyed she tabbed her heel on the cobbles. Things had been a little awkward after their accidental visit at the Ever-Locked Room. Truly, she had been on the brink of kissing him, possibly due to the influence of the Amortensia. Strange how it made her feel butterflies and whatsonot when she hadn’t even drunk it.

 

 Luckily she hadn’t kissed him. By Merlin’s beard, it would have complicated everything. Any romantical relationship was absolutely out of the question. Therefore, she tried to be as neutral as possible in her letter. But she wouldn’t have thought that the consequence may be him quitting the program. So, she was greatly relieved as a very tired looking Draco apparated with a plop not far from her. Lazily he held his hand in front of his mouth as he yawned and walked over. Astoria stemmed her hands in her waist.

‘You’re late Draco!’ she hissed.

‘ ‘m sorry,’ he yawned again ‘I overslept’. He had dark circles under his eyes.

‘I can see that, would you mind explaining why you overslept?’

‘I couldn’t really fall asleep and then I thought instead of just lying there, I could read a bit more… as I finished the book it was already dawn,’ he murmured.

‘You finished the whole book in two days?’ Astoria asked astonished.

‘It was kind of interesting. With the dwarves, the goblins, the trolls, the spiders, the animagus, the veelas and of course the dragon,’ he yawned for the third time.

‘Not veelas, elves,’ corrected Astoria.

‘Yeah, but they can’t be compared with our house-elves. Angel like with long silken hair? Hah, not really… Does the Ministry know about this book?’ he asked with a raised eyebrow.

‘Books you mean, there are actually 4 of them. Ah, and movies, I forgot! And the Ministry knows about it. Could you believe it, it’s not only an issue of this particular author. There are all sorts of stories with magic and magical beasts. Luckily the Muggles think that all these creatures are not real. Products of fantasy… But someone must have leaked the information. Probably hundreds of years ago. The culprits should be long dead by now and the Muggles accepted the general idea of our magical beasts as part of their tales and culture,’ she lectured him.

‘There are three more books? And what are movies?’ he asked genuinely interested.

‘Yes. I can lend them to you if you want. And well, movies are a bit hard to explain. I don’t really know how they work. They’re a bit like our photographs but you don’t know the people in those pictures. The people don’t exist in the first place, and they can randomly swap places. Similar to a theater play, somehow. It’s probably the best if I show you some movies and how a television works when we have time.’ said Astoria.

‘I guess it won’t help if I ask what television is?’ Draco stared at her confused. He stared a little too long, they both blushed and Astoria broke the eye contact.

‘Anyway, first we get some money and exchange a bit at Gringotts,’ she said and they went to the bank.

She was astonished as they got to the Malfoy vault deep down beneath the surface. Three different Goblins, the golden vault key and a drop of Draco’s blood were needed to open the door. And about the content, Astoria didn’t even dare to speak. The Greengrass vault was more than well filled with gold, diamonds, jewelry, and objects of art, but it was still incomparable. After they had their pockets full with Galleons and British Pounds and left the snow-white multistoried marble building she simply had to ask ‘Draco what exactly does your family do? For income I mean. I can’t remember that your parents had ever mentioned it.’

‘Well, first there is the Malfoy Apothecary, which sells the finest potions and herbal mixtures. And a superior red wine, if I may add. But mostly from investments. We own many houses and shops from which we get the rent. Here for example,’ he said all smug.

‘Where? What shop?’ asked Astoria hushed, he raised mockingly one brow and she added ‘Shops-ss?’.

‘Don’t be silly, all of Diagon Alley of course!’ he answered with a grin as broad as it possibly could be.

That sleek bastard, how ironic he can’t set his feet into most of the shops, she thought.

‘Then, Mr Owner, maybe you can get me a rebate at Miss Malkins…,’ she smiled slyly, linked her arm with his and pulled him onwards.

Miss Malkin had already expected Astoria and dragged her as soon as they arrived into the changing cabinet. There hung a brown golden dress, which Daphne had reserved for her. Astoria didn’t like the color nor the somewhat velvety fabric. But it wouldn’t matter what she wears at her sister’s engagement party. Either way, it would most likely be an awful evening.

‘Straighten up my dear,’ said Miss Malkin while fitting the dress. ‘Is Mr Malfoy your company for the occasion? I don’t think the outfit you reserved will sit right,’ She asked with a few needles between her lips.

‘Oh, no, he’s just here with me today for work reasons. And in fact, it would be helpful if one of your girls could help him choose some Muggle clothes,’ Astoria flinched a little as a needle pricked her.

‘Sorry my dear, you lost a little weight since your last visit, didn’t you? I need to adjust more than I thought. And of course, I will see to it. Maybe you want to look through my other dresses while I instruct the girls?’ Both left the cabinet. Astoria moved very consciously with all the needles attached to the dress. She walked through the rows, her hand gliding over the different materials of the displayed dresses. She stopped at a wonderful silken sky blue dress stitched with little grey pearls, which was shoulder-free.

‘You look beautiful,’ Draco said from behind her with an assortion of t-shirt and a black skinny jeans.

‘And you’re lying, the dress is hideous. Another way of my dear sister to mock me,’ she hissed under her breath so that Miss Malkin and her girls couldn’t hear.

‘Hm, yeah the dress is not the best, I’ll give you that. Why won’t you buy the blue one?’ he asked without hushing his voice.

‘It looks nice, doesn’t it? But I can’t, I better avoid Daphne’s drama if she hasn’t the prettiest dress at the party…’ she sighed and walked back into the changing cabinet.

Madam Malkin promised that the brown dress would be ready by the end of the week and Draco paid for his clothes. Before they left he whispered her something in the ear, what Astoria couldn’t hear and Miss Malkin only answered by nodding and smiling.

Out on the street, Draco asked ‘Where are we off to now?’

‘To Borgin and Burkes. There’s a certain item I need to pick up,’ she smiled wickedly.

Astoria thought Draco would pester her with questions about the reason for their visit at the shop she knew he had close ties with in the past. But instead, Draco said nothing and looked rather skittishly as they walked to their destination. Their footsteps echoed from the grey stone paving and the narrow build walls.

‘What is it?’ she barked with crossed arms and shot him a glance.

‘Can I be honest with you, like honest with Astoria the person and not Astoria Greengrass the employee of the Ministry?’ Draco lowered his voice and flashed her a nervous and apologetic smile.

Astoria rolled her eyes and sighed ‘Afraid to see old acquaintances of yours, Draco?’

‘Uhm, well, not precisely. The thing is, I may or may not have some artifacts with me, which we aren’t exactly allowed to have in our possession. And I thought it would be theoretically better to get them away from our Mansion and away from my delusional father before he could harm anyone, himself included,’ the blonde whispered.

‘As an employee of the Ministry of Magic, I just did not hear what you said. As my private self, I would say it’s a wise decision and probably for the best.’

They turned into the shady part of Knockturn Alley and after a few more paced steps they entered the shabby and old looking Borgin and Burkes. Not that it ever had really flourished but especially after the War not many customers visited the shop for Dark Artifacts. The heavy door and the wooden floor tiles creaked.  

The old Borgin greeted his potential customers with a bow and a sly smirk in his lips.

‘Oh, I’m pleased to see you, Miss Greengrass, still working for the Ministry, aren’t you?’

He kissed her hand, which Astoria rapidly retreated.

‘And of course, the young Malfoy, what an unexpected surprise, I may add. I haven’t seen you for ages…’he paused and waited for any sign of emotions on Draco’s face, who knew exactly what the old fox was hinting at. But Draco remained stoic.

Borgin bowed again. ‘Ah how could I forget, must be my age. You were under house arrest until recently, weren’t you? It pleases me to see you in good condition. Being stuck at home isn’t quite as harsh as being in Azkaban, isn’t it?’

Astoria softly nudged Draco’s arm to make sure he wouldn’t lose his countenance as a familiar face appeared behind Mr Borgin. It was Theodore Nott. One more person, whose presence Astoria didn’t enjoy.

‘And it pleases me Mr Borgin that the two years of Azkaban haven’t taken much toll on you as it seems. Still as witty as ever and even with a new employee,’ Draco snorted.

‘Well, well, what brings you here Mr Malfoy…,’ Mr Borgin rubbed his hands and started to talk business with Draco.  

Theodore however, stared at Astoria and made a grimace to signal he had something to discuss urgently. Astoria knew far too well in which direction this discussion would go and tried to avoid it but was grabbed by Theodore and pulled through a light grey wooden door with heavy hinges into a small back-room. Draco looked curiously after those two for a second but soon enough turned his full attention to Mr Borgin, who was known to be an artful dodger and rock hard negotiating partner.

‘Why are you here together with this blood traitor?, he hissed and stood a little too close for Astoria’s preferences. But the room was so cramped she couldn’t make a sidestep. Calmly she shoved his hand from her overarm and looked him fiercely in his green eyes.

‘We work together on this new program for the Ministry and happen to both have business here with Mr Borgin,’ she answered. Theodore wasn’t one of her close friends, but he was a close friend of her sister and there was something creepy about him, therefore, she decided to not disgruntle him.

‘He works for the Ministry, eh? How come? Bought his way in or something?’ he snorted dismissively.

‘I’m not allowed to tell you any details, but it’s only temporarily,’ she hushed. Not in a thousand years she would rat Draco out and tell Nott how she had found him and how he had nearly died because of a Muggle drug. Draco Malfoy may be someone who people hated, but not a laughing stock. Not when she could prevent it. Astoria knew it was idiotic to patronize Draco. She had no idea why she did it, but she had the strong urge to do so, like a rising fire, which waited to get out of control. Quickly she changed the topic before Theodore would ask any more probing questions.

‘So Theo, I didn’t know you work for Borgin and Burkes?’

‘Ah yes, not many places would hire a former prisoner of Azkaban. And besides the nagging old bat, it’s quite interesting here,’ he smirked and ruffled his brown hair. Most likely a poor attempt to look somewhat attractive. She nearly had forgotten how annoying he could be and she wished she could forget the kiss he gave her after the Yule Ball.

‘What’s your business little Greengrass. Perhaps I can be of help?’ he spoke softly and with glee in his eyes.

‘I ordered a painting a while back and was wondering if you finally had it in store,’ said Astoria.

Theodore opened the light grey door, let Astoria out and rubbed his forehead.

‘Don’t tell me you’re the person who ordered Phineas?’

‘Pretty much,’ she followed him through the rows and caught a short glimpse of Draco, who looked at her bewildered but was busy with Mr Borgin.

‘You have a nerve, seriously. The old crock will be more than happy when he’s finally gone,’ they stopped in front of a painting on an easel, covered with black curtains.

Astoria lifted the curtains a bit, except from a dark green velvety armchair it was empty.

‘Lucky for you he’s elsewhere. Makes it a lot easier for the transportation. I’ll wrap and shrink it for you,’ said Theodore.

‘How much does it cost?’ asked Astoria.

‘120 galleons precisely,’ said Mr. Borgin, who had suddenly appeared out of nowhere and rubbed his hands. Astoria had expected this much, pulled a shrinked bag full of galleons out of her robe, circled it with her wand and said ‘Engorgio’ before handing it over.

‘Boy, wrap the damn thing for the lady,’ he hissed towards Theodore, who was already behind the counter doing so. ‘I’ll count the galleons, if you excuse me,’ stated Mr. Borgin and likewise vanished behind the counter.

Astoria felt Draco’s presence behind her. With crossed arms he leaned forwards and whispered in her ear, ’What were you doing with Nott back there?’

She shrugged her shoulders and turned her head a little, ‘Nothing much. He doesn’t like seeing you with me.’ Draco snorted in response and shot glares of hate towards Nott.

Astoria tugged at Draco’s robe, he looked back down on her.

‘Could you sell all your stuff?’ she asked worried, he nodded.

‘Well, that means a few less problems,’ she smiled genuinely.

Mr Borgin waddled back, gave Astoria the neatly brown paper wrapped portrait and a receipt. He bowed in front of her and Draco.

‘Thank you for your purchase, Miss Greengrass and it’s always a pleasure doing business with you Mister Malfoy,’ he said toadily. Before they left the shop, Theo yelled, ‘See you at the party, Tori!’

‘Tori?’ repeated Draco with a raised eyebrow.

‘Please don’t ask,’ Astoria said sharply and tugged him along onto the street. ‘And by the way, I hate this nickname.’  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> please leave a comment or a kudo !


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